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: chair · rock · jam · calf · wave · present · rest · bear

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rock — music
  4. rest — what's left
  5. present — the time now
  6. rest — a break
  7. chair — a leader
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rock — a stone
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rest — what's left
  22. present — there
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bear — the animal

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