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: face · dip · drill · kid · stick · calf · racket · pit

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. kid — child
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pit — a hole
  6. face — to confront
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pit — in a race
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. drill — the tool
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. face — to point toward
  16. drill — army training
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. face — part of the head
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. dip — to sink
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. drill — a practice
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. kid — to tease

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