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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. lean — thin
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. stand — to bear
  10. squash — the sport
  11. squash — to crush
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — to bend
  14. shower — rain
  15. craft — boats
  16. shower — to wash
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. craft — a skill
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. suit — to fit
  24. stand — on your feet

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