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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cap — a lid
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pit — in a race
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pit — a hole
  8. club — for golf
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. club — a group
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. march — music
  14. cue — for pool
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. club — for dancing
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — of ice
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lean — thin
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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