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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bank — for money
  4. cap — a hat
  5. shower — to wash
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bank — of a river
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bank — for money
  13. bass — the fish
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — the time now
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. cap — of ice
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bass — low music
  23. shower — rain
  24. calf — of the leg

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