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: fine · bat · field · mine · pound · calf · suit · arm

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fine — high quality
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. field — for sport
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — a weight
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. field — farmland
  16. fine — all right
  17. suit — to fit
  18. field — a subject
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mine — for digging
  24. fine — a penalty

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