ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kick · stand · wave · mark · court · fan · roll · calf

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a list
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mark — a grade
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. court — of a king
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. stand — to bear
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. roll — a cake
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. kick — in football
  23. court — for sport
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com