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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. scale — in music
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. rash — hasty
  7. squash — to crush
  8. tear — from crying
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. squash — the sport
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. tear — to rip
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. scale — size or range
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. tear — from crying

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