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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. row — to paddle
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. row — a line
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. season — of the year
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. staff — employees
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. staff — a stick
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. staff — employees
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. dip — to sink

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