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: club · board · bay · calf · staff · land · rock · march

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. rock — music
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. rock — a stone
  6. land — ground
  7. club — for dancing
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. board — to get on
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. club — a group
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. land — a country
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. land — to come down
  19. march — music
  20. board — a committee
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. march — the month
  23. march — the month
  24. club — for golf

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