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: pass · calf · firm · fan · bear · court · last · pound

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. court — of a king
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. court — of law
  8. bear — the animal
  9. firm — a company
  10. pass — a permit
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. last — finally
  13. firm — decided
  14. last — to go on
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. firm — steady
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pound — a weight
  20. court — for sport
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. last — final
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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