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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. march — music
  3. can — a tin
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. can — to be able to
  11. march — the month
  12. can — a tin
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. march — the month
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — a series
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — a football final

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