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: season · calf · cap · board · perch · tube · bass · mouse

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. cap — of ice
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. cap — a hat
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — low music
  12. tube — the underground
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. season — of the year
  20. cap — a lid
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — a container
  24. mouse — the animal

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