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: bay · spring · roll · ball · calf · mouse · row · craft

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. roll — a list
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. row — a line
  10. row — to paddle
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. ball — a dance
  14. spring — of water
  15. roll — a cake
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. spring — a coil
  21. ball — a great time
  22. craft — boats
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. spring — the season

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