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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. file — a tool
  5. spell — a short time
  6. band — a music group
  7. spell — magic
  8. file — a document
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. spell — letters
  11. pit — a hole
  12. current — happening now
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — completely
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. file — a line of people
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. band — a ring

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