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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. mug — to rob
  4. race — a contest
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. cue — a hint
  7. chip — for betting
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pound — a weight
  10. race — humankind
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. cue — a signal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. race — the arms race
  15. cue — for pool
  16. chip — to eat
  17. mug — a face
  18. calf — of the 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