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 120 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: mate · scale · race · stand · lash · can · cell · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. mate — a friend
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. race — the arms race
  7. cell — in biology
  8. stand — to bear
  9. race — humankind
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — size or range
  13. mate — to breed
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. scale — in music
  17. race — a contest
  18. cell — a phone
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mate — a partner
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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