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: bulb · swing · deal · kid · lean · mate · calf · rash

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. kid — child
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mate — a partner
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. swing — music
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. lean — thin
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bulb — for light
  18. swing — to play on
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. mate — to breed
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mate — a friend
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rash — a series

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