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: foot · calf · leaves · bulb · saw · game · kid · lie

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. kid — to tease
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. saw — the tool
  12. lie — to recline
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. game — a match
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. kid — child
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. foot — a measure
  22. game — wild animals
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. saw — the tool

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