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: jam · snap · root · firm · calf · racket · land · cabinet

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. land — a country
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. snap — to click
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. firm — a company
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. root — of a plant
  15. land — ground
  16. firm — steady
  17. root — of a word
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. land — to come down
  22. firm — decided
  23. root — the cause
  24. cabinet — ministers

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