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 124 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. band — a music group
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — a phone
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. can — a tin
  10. band — a ring
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. can — a tin
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bat — the animal
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. leaves — to go away

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