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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bound — obliged
  7. wind — moving air
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bound — tied together
  10. rock — a stone
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — a leader
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. rock — music
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bat — the animal
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bound — certain
  24. can — a tin

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