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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. net — in sport
  4. dip — to sink
  5. date — the fruit
  6. scale — size or range
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. net — after costs
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. file — a tool
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. net — for catching
  18. scale — in music
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. file — a document
  21. file — a line of people
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. deal — to handle
  24. dip — to dunk

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