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 116 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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. drill — the tool
  4. band — a ring
  5. tear — to rip
  6. tear — from crying
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. row — a line
  9. bulb — for light
  10. drill — a practice
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. band — a music group
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bulb — for light
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. drill — army training
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. rock — to move gently

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