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: calf · object · fall · hand · net · jam · kick · fine

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. hand — help
  5. fall — to drop
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — a thing
  9. fall — the season
  10. net — in sport
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. fine — high quality
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. net — for catching
  15. fine — all right
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. object — an aim
  18. kick — in football
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. net — after costs
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fall — to drop

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