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: fan · rash · arm · nail · calf · mine · bank · kick

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rash — a series
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. kick — in football
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mine — for digging
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bank — for money
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. mine — belonging to me

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