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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. land — a country
  6. rest — a break
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. land — ground
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — the fish
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — a partner
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bore — to drill
  18. branch — a division
  19. rest — what's left
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. land — to come down

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