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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mouse · track · kid · rule · march · staff · calf · bulb

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. staff — employees
  3. track — a song
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. kid — child
  6. march — music
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — a law
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. staff — employees
  16. track — a path
  17. kid — to tease
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bulb — for light
  21. staff — a stick
  22. rule — government
  23. march — the month
  24. mouse — the animal

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