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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. march — the month
  3. rest — what's left
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. march — music
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. march — the month
  21. rest — a break
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. ball — a great time

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