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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. court — for sport
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to sink
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fall — to drop
  13. court — of law
  14. fall — the season
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. saw — the tool
  18. kid — child
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. kid — to tease
  22. fall — to drop
  23. court — of a king
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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