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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. march — the month
  3. deal — to handle
  4. key — the most important part
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bound — tied together
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. key — in music
  10. roll — a cake
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. roll — a list
  14. march — music
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. march — the month
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — obliged
  24. key — for a lock

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