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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stock — shares
  6. field — for sport
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. fine — all right
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. field — farmland
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. field — a subject
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kid — child
  23. stock — goods
  24. fine — high quality

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