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: bay · arm · mouse · game · staff · fan · land · calf

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. game — a match
  4. land — a country
  5. staff — a stick
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. staff — employees
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. staff — employees
  13. land — to come down
  14. game — wild animals
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. land — ground
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fan — to cool the air

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