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 120 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: arm · hand · lean · scale · current · hide · net · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. net — in sport
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. net — after costs
  8. hand — in cards
  9. scale — in music
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. net — for catching
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. current — of water
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lean — thin
  18. current — happening now
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. hand — help
  21. scale — size or range
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. current — electric
  24. lean — to bend

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