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 120 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pit — in a race
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. cue — for pool
  7. pit — a hole
  8. cue — a hint
  9. kid — child
  10. cue — a signal
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. track — a path
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. track — a song
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. kid — to tease
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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