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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. can — to be able to
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pass — a permit
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. scale — in music
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. race — the arms race
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. race — humankind
  19. scale — size or range
  20. can — a tin
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. can — a tin

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