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 120 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: game · calf · wave · net · shower · firm · wind · bore

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. net — in sport
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. shower — rain
  9. bore — to drill
  10. net — after costs
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. firm — steady
  13. shower — to wash
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. game — a match
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. net — for catching
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. game — a kind of play

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