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 116 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: mine · season · spell · calf · lean · nail · safe · kick

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — of the year
  10. kick — in football
  11. lean — thin
  12. spell — magic
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. spell — a short time
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mine — for digging
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. spell — letters

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