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: pound · lash · trunk · wave · mark · spring · calf · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. spring — the season
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a trace
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. spring — of water
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. spring — a coil
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. mark — a grade
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. kick — in football
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pound — a weight
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lash — to lash out

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