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: face · temple · game · deal · tube · stand · calf · nail

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. tube — the underground
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. face — part of the head
  5. deal — to handle
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. tube — a container
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. game — a match
  13. face — to point toward
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stand — to bear
  16. game — wild animals
  17. face — to confront
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stand — on your feet

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