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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. scale — in music
  5. tube — a container
  6. drill — the tool
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. last — to go on
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fine — high quality
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. last — finally
  14. drill — army training
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pitch — completely
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fine — all right
  21. drill — a practice
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. last — final
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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