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: cell · calf · season · roll · face · row · mouse · cap

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. cap — a hat
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cell — a phone
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. face — to confront
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cell — in biology
  11. row — a line
  12. season — in sport
  13. face — part of the head
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. roll — a cake
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. roll — a list
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cap — of ice
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. face — to point toward
  23. season — of the year
  24. calf — a young 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