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: fan · toast · key · calf · tear · net · hand · face

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. net — for catching
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. tear — from crying
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. net — in sport
  9. hand — help
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. tear — from crying
  12. key — in music
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. face — to confront
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. face — to point toward
  18. key — for a lock
  19. toast — bread
  20. face — part of the head
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. key — the most important part
  23. net — after costs
  24. tear — to rip

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