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 · rash · club · mouse · calf · wound · cap · arm

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. club — for golf
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. club — a group
  17. rash — hasty
  18. club — for dancing
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. kick — in football
  23. rash — a series
  24. arm — part of the body

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