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 · ball · lean · roll · calf · bay · pitcher · racket

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. roll — a list
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ball — a great time
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. lean — thin
  17. roll — a cake
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. lean — to bend
  24. pitcher — a jug

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