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: calf · ground · present · scale · bear · perch · ball · season

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. present — a gift
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. present — the time now
  8. perch — the fish
  9. ball — a great time
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. ground — the earth
  13. scale — size or range
  14. season — of the year
  15. present — there
  16. season — in sport
  17. scale — in music
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ball — a dance
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — 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