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: row · perch · calf · mine · saw · toast · rock · present

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. perch — the fish
  4. toast — bread
  5. row — to paddle
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. present — there
  9. rock — music
  10. present — the time now
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — for digging
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rock — a stone
  22. saw — the tool
  23. row — a line
  24. present — a gift

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