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: chip · kid · bay · march · lash · drill · calf · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  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. staff — employees
  2. drill — the tool
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. drill — army training
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. march — music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. drill — a practice
  11. staff — a stick
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. march — the month
  14. kid — to tease
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. staff — employees
  19. kid — child
  20. march — the month
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  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