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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. ball — a dance
  9. wind — moving air
  10. plane — a tool
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bear — the animal
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. branch — a division
  22. deal — to handle
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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