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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. spring — of water
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. spring — the season
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. spring — a coil
  18. mark — a grade

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