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 116 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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. march — music
  3. club — for golf
  4. scale — in music
  5. bulb — for light
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. file — a document
  8. club — a group
  9. march — the month
  10. cue — a hint
  11. scale — size or range
  12. file — a tool
  13. march — the month
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. club — for dancing
  19. file — a line of people
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bulb — for light

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