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: cell · fan · trunk · calf · press · bound · kick · spring

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. spring — the season
  3. press — to push
  4. cell — in biology
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cell — a phone
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. press — a publisher
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. press — newspapers
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spring — of water
  17. bound — obliged
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bound — tied together
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. kick — in football
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. kick — with a 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