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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. perch — the fish
  3. drill — army training
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. club — for golf
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. drill — a practice
  12. club — a group
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. club — for dancing
  20. cell — a phone
  21. can — a tin
  22. cell — in biology
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. calf — a young animal

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