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 116 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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — in sport
  5. sharp — clever
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. lean — to bend
  13. snap — to click
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bark — to shout
  22. lean — thin
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — to sit on

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