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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. march — the month
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. row — a line
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. march — the month
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. can — to be able to
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. march — music
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rock — music
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. can — a tin
  19. row — to paddle
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. can — a tin
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rock — a stone

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