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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. present — there
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. file — a line of people
  8. tear — to rip
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. file — a document
  13. court — for sport
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. file — a tool
  16. tear — from crying
  17. court — of law
  18. tear — from crying
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. foot — the bottom

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