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: bat · present · kick · vault · bark · calf · suit · track

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. present — a gift
  6. suit — to fit
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. suit — in cards
  9. track — a song
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. present — the time now
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. present — there
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. vault — a safe
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — of a tree

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