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: deal · spring · mouse · cell · pitch · calf · tube · pop

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pop — to visit
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pitch — completely
  10. tube — a container
  11. pop — music
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spring — of water
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. pop — soda
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. spring — the season
  21. tube — the underground
  22. cell — in biology
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. cell — a phone

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