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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mate — a partner
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. key — in music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. mate — to breed
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. key — the most important part
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rush — hurry
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. key — for a lock
  23. calf — a young animal
  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