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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. swing — music
  4. toast — bread
  5. kid — child
  6. spell — magic
  7. kid — to tease
  8. swing — in golf
  9. rock — music
  10. pit — in a race
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pitch — completely
  17. spell — a short time
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. swing — to play on
  22. pit — a hole
  23. spell — letters
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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