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 120 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — the animal
  4. fork — in a road
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. spring — of water
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. spell — a short time
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. spring — the season
  22. spell — letters
  23. spring — a coil
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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