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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. field — for sport
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — of water
  5. charge — in control
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. tube — the underground
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. field — farmland
  10. tube — a container
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. charge — a price
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. field — a subject
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. spring — the season
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — hurry
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. tube — in a tire

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