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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pit — a hole
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. land — to come down
  6. object — to protest
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. object — a thing
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — of water
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. land — a country
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. land — ground
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. spring — a coil
  24. object — an aim

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