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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  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. sharp — exactly
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. scale — in music
  6. sharp — clever
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. spell — a short time
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bank — for money
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. bank — of a river
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bank — for money
  18. ball — a dance
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  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