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 · calf · lash · degree · ball · firm · bay · snap

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. snap — to click
  5. degree — temperature
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. firm — decided
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. degree — from a university
  20. degree — an amount
  21. firm — steady
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. firm — a company
  24. bay — a horse colour

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