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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bass — low music
  3. tube — a container
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. tube — the underground
  6. object — to protest
  7. bear — the animal
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bear — the animal
  11. object — an aim
  12. roll — a list
  13. object — a thing
  14. roll — a cake
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — the instrument

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