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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. march — the month
  3. mate — a friend
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mate — to breed
  10. present — there
  11. chest — a box
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rock — a stone
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. toast — bread
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. present — the time now
  22. mate — a partner
  23. rock — music
  24. present — a gift

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