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 · scale · stand · kid · bowl · bore · wave · safe

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kid — child
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. kid — to tease
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. bore — to drill
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. scale — size or range
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. scale — in music
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bore — to tire
  24. wave — with your hand

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