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: shower · bat · stick · mouse · deal · vault · stand · calf

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  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. stand — to bear
  2. shower — to wash
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. shower — rain
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bat — the animal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mouse — the animal
  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