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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lie — to recline
  9. firm — a company
  10. rest — a break
  11. firm — steady
  12. stock — shares
  13. ball — a great time
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. ball — a dance
  17. stock — goods
  18. rest — what's left
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. rest — what's left
  22. firm — decided
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a football final

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