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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. spell — a short time
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. spell — magic
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. spell — letters
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stand — to bear
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cap — a lid
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. prune — to trim
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cap — of ice
  22. prune — to trim
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. prune — the fruit

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