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

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rash — a series
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. branch — a division
  6. stock — shares
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. field — farmland
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. field — a subject
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. foot — a measure
  15. chair — a leader
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. rash — hasty
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. field — for sport
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — goods

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