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: bay · hand · calf · date · rush · ball · cold · cabinet

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. date — the fruit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. hand — in cards
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cold — not warm
  12. ball — a dance
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. rush — hurry
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cold — an illness
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ball — a great time
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. hand — help
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. ball — a round shape

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