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: march · season · temple · bear · calf · rock · object · dip

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. bear — to put up with
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — music
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rock — a stone
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. object — to protest
  11. dip — to sink
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. object — a thing
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. season — in sport
  17. march — the month
  18. season — of the year
  19. bear — the animal
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. object — an aim
  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