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: net · mark · pound · calf · trunk · plane · kick · hand

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. net — for catching
  4. mark — a trace
  5. hand — help
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. plane — a tool
  9. net — in sport
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. kick — in football
  12. pound — a weight
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. hand — in cards
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. net — after costs
  24. hand — part of the body

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