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 120 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. lie — to recline
  3. kid — child
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. race — the arms race
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. season — in sport
  11. kid — to tease
  12. perch — the fish
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. race — humankind
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. season — of the year
  22. race — a contest
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. lie — an untruth

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