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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. scale — in music
  5. cell — in biology
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — in golf
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. scale — size or range
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cell — a phone
  14. land — ground
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. net — after costs
  17. land — a country
  18. net — in sport
  19. swing — to play on
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. land — to come down
  24. calf — a young animal

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