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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. craft — boats
  4. key — the most important part
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. craft — a skill
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pitch — completely
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. key — in music
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. arm — part of the body

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