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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. object — to protest
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bass — low music
  8. object — an aim
  9. can — a tin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bass — the fish
  13. object — a thing
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. can — a tin
  16. cap — of ice
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. hand — help
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. hand — in cards
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. can — to be able to

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