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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. mark — a trace
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. wind — moving air
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. content — happy
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. content — the amount
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. wound — an injury

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