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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. court — of law
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cell — a phone
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cell — in biology
  16. court — for sport
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. court — of a king
  22. can — a tin
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wave — with your hand

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