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 · court · deal · can · stem · calf · leaves · kid

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. deal — to handle
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. can — a tin
  10. court — for sport
  11. can — to be able to
  12. kid — to tease
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. kid — child
  18. court — of law
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. court — of a king
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. can — a tin
  24. stem — of a plant

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