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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. chip — for betting
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. wound — an injury
  5. capital — money
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. capital — a city
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fork — in a road
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. chip — to eat
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wound — an injury
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. patient — a sick person

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