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: roll · spring · craft · fan · calf · face · stand · rush

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. spring — a coil
  6. roll — a cake
  7. spring — of water
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. face — to confront
  11. roll — a list
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. spring — the season
  15. face — to point toward
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rush — hurry
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. fan — a supporter

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