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: scale · season · chip · wind · kid · calf · prune · suit

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. scale — size or range
  3. chip — to eat
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. suit — to fit
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. season — of the year
  9. kid — to tease
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. prune — to trim
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. kid — child
  18. prune — to trim
  19. scale — in music
  20. wind — moving air
  21. chip — for betting
  22. wind — moving air
  23. season — in sport
  24. wind — to turn a key

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