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: suit · mouse · roll · mine · wake · fork · firm · calf

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. suit — to fit
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wake — a trail
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. roll — a list
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. fork — in a road
  16. firm — decided
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a cake
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — a company

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