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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. rock — a stone
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. land — ground
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. land — to come down
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. land — a country
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wound — an injury
  11. staff — employees
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. staff — a stick
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. rock — music
  19. wake — a trail
  20. staff — employees
  21. perch — the fish
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — to crush

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