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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. wake — a trail
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. row — a line
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. swing — music
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. swing — to play on
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. row — to paddle
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. swing — in golf
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. row — a quarrel

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