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: content · calf · arm · rule · ball · march · scale · bank

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. ball — a great time
  4. march — the month
  5. march — the month
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rule — a law
  9. march — music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. rule — government
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bank — of a river
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. scale — in music
  20. bank — for money
  21. content — happy
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bank — for money
  24. ball — a round shape

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