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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rock — music
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fork — in a road
  7. row — a line
  8. last — final
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rest — what's left
  15. last — to go on
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. last — finally

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