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: degree · jam · swing · hide · tube · can · calf · cabinet

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. swing — music
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. can — a tin
  8. tube — a container
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. degree — from a university
  12. tube — the underground
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. swing — in golf
  15. can — a tin
  16. degree — an amount
  17. can — to be able to
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. degree — temperature
  20. swing — to play on
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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