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: plane · toast · calf · kid · stock · pop · firm · bat

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. toast — bread
  4. pop — music
  5. stock — shares
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. kid — child
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pop — soda
  12. bat — the animal
  13. pop — to visit
  14. stock — goods
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. firm — a company
  18. plane — a tool
  19. firm — decided
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. firm — steady
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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