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 120 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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. craft — a skill
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. suit — in cards
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bank — for money
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. suit — clothes
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bank — of a river
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. bank — for money
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. suit — to fit
  24. calf — a young animal

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