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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. last — finally
  3. chest — of your body
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. chest — of your body
  9. fine — all right
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. rule — government
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. rule — a law
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. last — final
  20. last — to go on
  21. bat — the animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. lash — an eyelash

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