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 120 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. row — a line
  5. bark — to shout
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. row — to paddle
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. key — for a lock
  13. present — the time now
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. key — in music
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. present — there
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. present — a gift
  22. key — the most important part
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pass — to succeed

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