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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. field — for sport
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. march — music
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bank — of a river
  8. field — a subject
  9. field — farmland
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. prune — to trim
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bank — for money
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bank — for money
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bass — low music
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bass — the fish

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