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: root · chest · ball · temple · calf · racket · club · arm

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. root — the cause
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. club — for dancing
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. chest — of your body
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. root — of a plant
  14. ball — a great time
  15. chest — of your body
  16. club — for golf
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. root — of a word
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ball — a dance
  21. chest — a box
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. club — a group
  24. calf — of the leg

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