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: snap · march · season · mouse · bay · calf · track · patient

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. track — a song
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. march — the month
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. season — in sport
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. track — a path
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. snap — to click
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. season — of the year
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. march — music

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