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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. firm — steady
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. march — music
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. last — finally
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. prune — to trim
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. march — the month
  16. march — the month
  17. last — to go on
  18. firm — a company
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. wake — a trail
  21. firm — decided
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. last — final

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