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: bowl · stick · calf · roll · coach · file · squash · rule

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. file — a document
  6. file — a line of people
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — a law
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. file — a tool
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bowl — a dish

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