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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fall — to drop
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. rock — music
  5. court — for sport
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. court — of law
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. fall — to drop
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fall — the season
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. scale — size or range
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. court — of a king
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. scale — in music
  24. calf — a young animal

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