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: calf · stand · chest · plane · net · mug · game · march

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. chest — a box
  3. net — in sport
  4. mug — to rob
  5. game — wild animals
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mug — a face
  8. chest — of your body
  9. march — the month
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. march — music
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. march — the month
  14. mug — a cup
  15. stand — to bear
  16. chest — of your body
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. plane — a tool
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. net — for catching
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. net — after costs
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. game — a match

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