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: swing · leaves · object · sharp · calf · bay · content · wave

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. object — an aim
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. swing — in golf
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. content — the amount
  9. object — to protest
  10. swing — to play on
  11. object — a thing
  12. swing — music
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. content — happy
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. leaves — lets stay

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