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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. band — a music group
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rash — a series
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. band — a ring
  10. bat — the animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pit — in a race
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pit — a hole
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. rash — hasty

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