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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. face — to confront
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bass — the fish
  12. stock — goods
  13. face — part of the head
  14. stock — shares
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bass — low music
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. face — to point toward
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — a leader
  24. calf — of the leg

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