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: scale · roll · firm · mark · calf · march · wind · press

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. mark — a trace
  4. march — the month
  5. scale — size or range
  6. press — a publisher
  7. mark — a grade
  8. march — the month
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. scale — in music
  12. firm — steady
  13. press — to push
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. firm — a company
  18. wind — moving air
  19. march — music
  20. wind — moving air
  21. firm — decided
  22. roll — a list
  23. press — newspapers
  24. roll — a cake

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