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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. branch — a division
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. staff — a stick
  5. snap — to click
  6. wax — to grow
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. staff — employees
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — low music
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cell — in biology
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. cell — a phone
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. staff — employees

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