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: calf · ball · hide · fall · bear · game · bound · mouse

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a match
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bound — certain
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ball — a dance
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bound — tied together
  17. fall — to drop
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. ball — a great time
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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