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: saw · ball · calf · bass · ground · firm · kick · object

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. object — to protest
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. ball — a dance
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. firm — decided
  7. ball — a great time
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. ground — the earth
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. saw — the tool
  12. object — a thing
  13. firm — steady
  14. kick — in football
  15. firm — a company
  16. bass — low music
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bass — the fish
  20. saw — the tool
  21. object — an aim
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. ground — a position

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