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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. scale — in music
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fine — all right
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pit — a hole
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. pit — in a race
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fork — in a road
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. scale — size or range
  20. squash — to crush
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fine — high quality

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