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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. club — for dancing
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pound — a weight
  10. club — for golf
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. club — a group

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