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: hand · ball · rash · face · stem · hide · calf · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. face — part of the head
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — to point toward
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. ball — a dance
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. ball — a great time
  16. hand — help
  17. rash — a series
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rash — hasty
  21. stem — to come from
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. hand — in cards
  24. leaves — 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