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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. object — an aim
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bat — the animal
  7. court — of a king
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. prune — to trim
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. squash — the sport
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. object — to protest
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. court — of law
  20. object — a thing
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. squash — to crush
  23. deal — to handle
  24. court — for sport

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