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: mate · jam · leaves · court · stock · band · calf · wake

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. court — for sport
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. court — of law
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stock — goods
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. band — a ring
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. band — a music group
  21. stock — shares
  22. mate — to breed
  23. court — of a king
  24. calf — of the leg

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