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: stick · pit · capital · can · drill · squash · degree · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. capital — money
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — to crush
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. can — a tin
  8. drill — the tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. drill — a practice
  11. can — to be able to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. degree — temperature
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. degree — from a university
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. pit — a hole
  20. squash — the sport
  21. drill — army training
  22. capital — a city
  23. degree — an amount
  24. pit — in a race

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