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: mark · saw · calf · game · racket · present · rock · staff

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. present — a gift
  3. rock — music
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. staff — a stick
  6. game — wild animals
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. game — a match
  9. present — there
  10. rock — a stone
  11. staff — employees
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. staff — employees
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. saw — the tool
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. present — the time now
  23. mark — a trace
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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