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: mark · date · scale · lean · court · ruler · pop · calf

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. court — for sport
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pop — to visit
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pop — music
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pop — soda
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mark — a trace
  17. date — the fruit
  18. lean — thin
  19. court — of law
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. court — of a king
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. scale — in music
  24. lean — to bend

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