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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. root — of a word
  4. field — a subject
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. field — for sport
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. club — a group
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. club — for dancing
  13. rock — music
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rule — a law
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rock — a stone
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. club — for golf
  23. field — farmland
  24. rule — government

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