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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. season — in sport
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. roll — a list
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bear — the animal
  10. key — in music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. stock — goods
  19. key — for a lock
  20. season — of the year
  21. stock — shares
  22. can — a tin
  23. kid — child
  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