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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — in cards
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — electricity
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. hand — help
  12. charge — a price
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mark — a grade
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mark — a trace
  22. wound — an injury
  23. ball — a great time
  24. calf — of the leg

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