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: chair · ball · pop · calf · swing · rock · perch · craft

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pop — to visit
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chair — a leader
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pop — soda
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rock — music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. craft — boats
  17. swing — to play on
  18. rock — a stone
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. perch — the fish
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. pop — music
  23. swing — music
  24. craft — a skill

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