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: arm · calf · squash · jam · wake · season · craft · game

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. game — wild animals
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. squash — to crush
  5. squash — the sport
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. game — a match
  10. craft — a skill
  11. season — of the year
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. season — in sport
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wake — a trail
  23. craft — boats
  24. jam — a tight spot

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