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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. file — a document
  13. track — a song
  14. wake — a trail
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. mug — a cup
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. file — a tool
  19. mug — to rob
  20. file — a line of people
  21. track — to keep track
  22. chair — a leader
  23. pitch — completely
  24. track — a path

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