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: chest · calf · mug · straw · snap · fine · foot · plane

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. fine — all right
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. chest — of your body
  8. plane — a tool
  9. chest — of your body
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. mug — a face
  15. chest — a box
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. snap — to click
  22. mug — a cup
  23. foot — a measure
  24. fine — high quality

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