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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — a short time
  4. march — the month
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. stand — to bear
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. present — there
  11. march — the month
  12. present — a gift
  13. board — a committee
  14. spell — magic
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. branch — a division
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. board — to get on
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. present — the time now
  23. march — music
  24. cabinet — ministers

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