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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stock — goods
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. squash — to crush
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. squash — the sport
  13. stock — shares
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. calf — a young animal

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