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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. stem — to come from
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. pitch — completely
  13. can — a tin
  14. saw — the tool
  15. toast — bread
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. can — to be able to
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. can — a tin
  24. pitch — a sports field

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