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: racket · bark · march · suit · mine · fall · calf · can

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bark — to shout
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. march — music
  6. mine — for digging
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. fall — to drop
  15. suit — in cards
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. can — a tin
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. fall — to drop
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. fall — the season
  24. can — a tin

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