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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. file — a line of people
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. rule — a law
  5. swing — music
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. swing — in golf
  10. rule — government
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. file — a document
  13. deal — to handle
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rash — hasty
  16. file — a tool
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rash — a series
  20. swing — to play on
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. deal — an agreement

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