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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bat — the animal
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. object — an aim
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. object — to protest
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bound — certain
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bore — to drill
  17. object — a thing
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. branch — a division
  24. squash — the sport

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