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: deal · fan · coach · file · calf · racket · can · pop

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — music
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. deal — to handle
  16. file — a line of people
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. file — a document
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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