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 120 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. fall — to drop
  3. tube — the underground
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. key — the most important part
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. tube — a container
  14. stock — shares
  15. object — a thing
  16. fall — to drop
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. key — for a lock
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. object — an aim
  21. fall — the season
  22. stock — goods
  23. key — in music
  24. stock — a soup base

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