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 116 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. stand — to bear
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. squash — to crush
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. squash — the sport
  20. cell — a phone
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. craft — boats
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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