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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. can — to be able to
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. squash — to crush
  7. can — a tin
  8. face — to point toward
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. clip — a video
  12. content — the amount
  13. face — part of the head
  14. rush — hurry
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. content — happy
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. clip — to cut
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. can — a tin
  22. clip — for paper
  23. face — to confront
  24. ruler — a monarch

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