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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. toast — bread
  4. swing — music
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. swing — to play on
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. club — for dancing
  14. kid — to tease
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a partner
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. kid — child
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mate — a friend
  24. swing — in golf

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