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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. row — a line
  4. mark — a grade
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. mark — a trace
  9. firm — decided
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. row — to paddle
  13. firm — steady
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. firm — a company
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. shower — rain
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. can — to be able to
  24. shower — to wash

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