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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. object — to protest
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bass — the fish
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. object — an aim
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bass — low music
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. object — a thing
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. snap — to click
  24. racket — for tennis

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