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 116 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: kick · bass · straw · row · ground · scale · wave · calf

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ground — crushed
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. kick — in football
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bass — the fish
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. ground — a position
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. scale — size or range
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — low music
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. row — a quarrel

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