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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. tube — the underground
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mate — to breed
  6. can — a tin
  7. tube — a container
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pitch — completely
  10. can — to be able to
  11. mate — a partner
  12. pop — music
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. branch — a division
  16. can — a tin
  17. mate — a friend
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. tube — in a tire

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