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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. hand — help
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. hand — in cards
  8. pit — in a race
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. race — a contest
  12. lean — to bend
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. race — humankind
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — thin
  21. pit — a hole
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. race — the arms race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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