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 lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. ball — a dance
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. stock — shares
  7. cap — a hat
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. chair — a leader
  12. ball — a great time
  13. swing — to play on
  14. cap — of ice
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — goods
  20. cap — a lid
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. branch — a division

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