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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — shares
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pop — soda
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. press — a publisher
  18. kid — to tease
  19. press — newspapers
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. press — to push
  24. leaves — lets stay

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