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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. tear — from crying
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. rash — hasty
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pitch — completely
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. chair — a leader
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. tear — to rip
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. rash — a series
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fan — to cool the air

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