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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rule — government
  3. key — for a lock
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. key — in music
  6. net — in sport
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mug — a cup
  11. rule — a law
  12. squash — the sport
  13. mug — to rob
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mug — a face
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. squash — to crush
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. net — after costs
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. net — for catching

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