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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. roll — a list
  4. drill — the tool
  5. current — electric
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. current — happening now
  8. ball — a great time
  9. roll — a cake
  10. drill — army training
  11. pit — in a race
  12. suit — clothes
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. suit — to fit
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. pit — a hole
  18. drill — a practice
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. current — of water
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. suit — in cards
  23. ball — a dance
  24. coach — a trainer

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