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 · toast · arm · pass · racket · date · pound · spell

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. spell — a short time
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. spell — magic
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. spell — letters
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pound — a weight
  24. toast — the most admired

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