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: calf · mug · land · bass · mouse · coach · tear · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mug — a face
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bass — the fish
  10. land — to come down
  11. mug — a cup
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bass — low music
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. land — ground
  16. tear — from crying
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. tear — to rip
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. land — a country

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