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: bear · calf · squash · pitcher · branch · file · coach · mouse

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. file — a line of people
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. file — a tool
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bear — the animal
  15. squash — to crush
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. file — a document
  18. bear — the animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — the sport
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bear — to put up with

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