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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — child
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. pit — a hole
  7. tear — from crying
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. tear — from crying
  11. key — in music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. tear — to rip
  14. rest — a break
  15. kid — to tease
  16. rule — government
  17. game — wild animals
  18. pit — in a race
  19. rule — a law
  20. key — the most important part
  21. game — a match
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. key — for a lock

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