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 120 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: nail · rest · suit · band · content · chest · calf · lean

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. lean — to bend
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. content — the amount
  7. chest — of your body
  8. lean — thin
  9. rest — what's left
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rest — a break
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — a box
  16. band — a music group
  17. suit — in cards
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. suit — clothes
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. band — a ring

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