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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. ball — a great time
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. race — the arms race
  10. lean — to bend
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. race — a contest
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. lean — thin
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. race — humankind
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rash — a series

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