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

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. squash — the sport
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wind — moving air
  5. tear — from crying
  6. pit — in a race
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pit — a hole
  11. rule — government
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. kick — in football
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bulb — for light
  18. tear — from crying
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. tear — to rip
  23. squash — to crush
  24. kick — with a 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