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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. present — a gift
  4. scale — in music
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bank — of a river
  10. kid — to tease
  11. ball — a great time
  12. present — there
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. scale — size or range
  15. kid — child
  16. bank — for money
  17. present — the time now
  18. ball — a dance
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mate — a partner
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bank — for money

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