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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. present — the time now
  3. can — a tin
  4. bass — the fish
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. present — a gift
  7. land — a country
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. land — to come down
  13. bass — low music
  14. can — to be able to
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. land — ground
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — in cards
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. present — there
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. can — a tin

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