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 120 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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. current — of water
  4. track — a song
  5. track — to keep track
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — a series
  9. track — a path
  10. mate — to breed
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. file — a line of people
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mate — a friend
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. current — happening now
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. current — electric
  21. file — a tool
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. file — a document
  24. mate — a partner

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