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: coach · wind · calf · charge · mark · row · march · club

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mark — a trace
  4. charge — in control
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. charge — a price
  7. club — for dancing
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. row — to paddle
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. row — a line
  12. wind — moving air
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. march — the month
  17. club — a group
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. march — the month
  20. club — for golf
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. march — music
  23. charge — electricity
  24. wind — to turn a key

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