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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. can — a tin
  3. drill — the tool
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bat — the animal
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. can — to be able to
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. drill — army training
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. can — a tin
  24. pitcher — a jug

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