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 116 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: suit · cold · cabinet · bank · squash · calf · racket · file

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cold — an illness
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. suit — in cards
  9. squash — to crush
  10. cold — not warm
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. file — a document
  13. suit — clothes
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. file — a tool
  16. squash — the sport
  17. file — a line of people
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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