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: bay · dip · bound · rock · object · march · tear · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. tear — from crying
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. rock — music
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. tear — from crying
  13. rock — a stone
  14. tear — to rip
  15. object — to protest
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bound — tied together
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. object — an aim
  20. bound — certain
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. object — a thing
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. rock — to move gently

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