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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. swing — to play on
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pit — in a race
  7. chair — a leader
  8. swing — in golf
  9. ball — a great time
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. tube — a container
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. game — wild animals
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pit — a hole
  19. game — a match
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. swing — music
  23. ball — a dance
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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