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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. kid — child
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. kid — to tease
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. capital — money
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. capital — a city
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. roll — a list
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. roll — a cake
  24. racket — for tennis

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