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: net · calf · chest · leaves · kick · toast · craft · sharp

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. toast — bread
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — of your body
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. craft — boats
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. net — for catching
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. net — in sport
  16. craft — a skill
  17. sharp — clever
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. chest — a box
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. net — after costs
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. craft — a handicraft

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