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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. roll — a list
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rock — music
  8. shower — to wash
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. date — the fruit
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — rain
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. arm — part of the body

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