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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. drill — a practice
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. file — a line of people
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. drill — the tool
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. rule — a law
  13. file — a document
  14. file — a tool
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a cup
  21. drill — army training
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rule — government

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