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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · rest · swing · bowl · suit · race

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. swing — to play on
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. suit — clothes
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — humankind
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. swing — in golf
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. swing — music
  17. suit — to fit
  18. calf — a young animal

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