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: mark · pit · calf · cabinet · snap · file · rash · mouse

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. file — a tool
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. file — a line of people
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mark — a grade
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. pit — a hole
  15. file — a document
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pit — in a race
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mark — to pay attention

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