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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. game — wild animals
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pop — music
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pop — to visit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. game — a match
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. club — for golf
  23. wake — a trail
  24. pop — soda

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