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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. land — a country
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. club — a group
  5. land — to come down
  6. last — finally
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mate — a friend
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. court — of a king
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. last — to go on
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. mate — to breed
  17. last — final
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. land — ground
  20. court — of law
  21. court — for sport
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mate — a partner
  24. club — for golf

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