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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. content — happy
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. swing — music
  7. lean — thin
  8. content — the amount
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pass — a permit
  11. swing — in golf
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. lean — to bend
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. swing — to play on
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. squash — to crush
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. 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