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 116 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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. game — a match
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bound — certain
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bound — tied together
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bound — obliged
  20. game — wild animals
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — to confront
  24. chip — for betting

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