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 120 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 · fall · bowl · root · cabinet · calf · drill · band

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. root — of a word
  3. drill — a practice
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bear — the animal
  7. root — the cause
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fall — the season
  18. root — of a plant
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a music group
  23. drill — army training
  24. 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