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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. scale — in music
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pit — in a race
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. suit — clothes
  9. root — of a plant
  10. mate — a friend
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. firm — decided
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. root — of a word
  16. pit — a hole
  17. mate — to breed
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. mate — a partner
  20. scale — size or range
  21. firm — steady
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. firm — a company
  24. root — the cause

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