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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. stock — shares
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. game — wild animals
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. stock — goods
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. game — a match
  20. shower — rain
  21. wake — a trail
  22. shower — to wash
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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