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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mug — a face
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. mug — to rob
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. key — in music
  10. bark — to shout
  11. key — the most important part
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. rest — a break
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mug — a cup

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