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: calf · rash · mate · season · deal · straw · chair · rush

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rush — hurry
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. rash — a series
  5. season — of the year
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. season — in sport
  13. rash — hasty
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mate — a partner
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. mate — to breed
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. deal — to handle
  23. mate — a friend
  24. chair — a leader

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