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: row · calf · rest · roll · racket · wound · dip · season

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wound — an injury
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. row — to paddle
  8. dip — to sink
  9. roll — a list
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rest — a break
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. season — of the year
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. season — in sport
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. row — a line
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. roll — a cake
  21. rest — what's left
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wound — an injury
  24. dip — a sauce

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