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: mouse · calf · wave · hand · branch · cabinet · pound · bear

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bear — the animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bear — the animal
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. pound — a weight
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. branch — a division
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. hand — in cards
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. branch — of a bank

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