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: bay · bat · suit · ruler · cold · jam · toast · calf

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bat — the animal
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. toast — bread
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. suit — in cards
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cold — an illness

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