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 116 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. branch — a division
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — a series
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bass — low music
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. can — a tin
  20. bass — the fish
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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