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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. kid — to tease
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rock — a stone
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. suit — to fit
  12. scale — in music
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rash — a series
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. kid — child
  20. suit — clothes
  21. can — a tin
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rash — hasty

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