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 120 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. club — a group
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. cold — an illness
  11. court — of law
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cold — not warm
  17. row — a line
  18. court — of a king
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. court — for sport
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bowl — a dish

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