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 116 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 · coach · spell · race · stem · game · sharp · bass

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bass — low music
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bass — the fish
  7. race — the arms race
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a match
  11. spell — a short time
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. race — a contest
  14. race — humankind
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. spell — magic
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. sharp — clever
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. spell — letters
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. stem — to come from

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