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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. march — music
  3. can — a tin
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. lie — to recline
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. cold — not warm
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. net — in sport
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. cold — an illness
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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