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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. tear — to rip
  5. tear — from crying
  6. ball — a great time
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. ball — a dance
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. squash — to crush
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. tear — from crying
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. squash — the sport
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — completely
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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