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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. stock — goods
  5. cold — an illness
  6. ground — a position
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cold — not warm
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. ground — the earth
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ground — crushed
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stock — shares
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. rest — a break
  24. snap — to click

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