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: hide · calf · firm · current · wake · mate · date · perch

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. firm — steady
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. date — the fruit
  7. wake — a trail
  8. perch — the fish
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mate — a friend
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. firm — a company
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. current — happening now
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. current — electric
  19. mate — to breed
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mate — a partner
  24. firm — decided

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