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: march · pitcher · calf · toast · cabinet · wave · mug · bark

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. march — the month
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. march — music
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — a face
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bark — to shout
  17. toast — bread
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mug — to rob
  20. march — the month
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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