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 120 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: bass · march · bowl · wound · stand · board · calf · cap

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bass — low music
  6. march — the month
  7. board — to get on
  8. bass — the fish
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. board — a committee
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. cap — a lid
  17. march — the month
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — of ice

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