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: pitcher · calf · snap · face · dip · ground · spell · firm

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spell — a short time
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. ground — crushed
  9. spell — magic
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. ground — a position
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. snap — to click
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. ground — the earth
  19. face — to point toward
  20. dip — to sink
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. spell — letters
  24. firm — steady

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