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: bear · bat · track · calf · bowl · bass · arm · temple

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. track — a song
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bat — the animal
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bear — the animal
  20. track — a path
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bass — low music
  24. bass — the instrument

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