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 116 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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fall — the season
  5. stock — shares
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fall — to drop
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wound — an injury
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wound — an injury
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. fall — to drop
  22. stock — goods
  23. wind — moving air
  24. vault — a safe

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