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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. face — part of the head
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. face — to confront
  6. mug — a cup
  7. prune — to trim
  8. content — the amount
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. face — to point toward
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. content — happy
  18. mate — a friend
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a face
  22. rock — a stone
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. content — videos and posts

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