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 120 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: cabinet · band · spring · temple · field · calf · club · foot

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. field — for sport
  3. field — farmland
  4. spring — a coil
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. spring — the season
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. foot — a measure
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. field — a subject
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. band — a ring
  14. club — for golf
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. club — for dancing
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. spring — of water
  19. band — a music group
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. club — a group
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. temple — a place of worship

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