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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bass — the fish
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. face — to confront
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bass — low music
  10. track — to keep track
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. track — a song
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. track — a path
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. face — part of the head
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bowl — to roll

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