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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. can — to be able to
  4. track — a path
  5. mark — a grade
  6. can — a tin
  7. wind — moving air
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. vault — a safe
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. wind — moving air
  13. club — for golf
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. track — to keep track
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. can — a tin
  19. club — for dancing
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. club — a group
  22. track — a song
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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