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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. craft — a skill
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. perch — the fish
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. key — in music
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. tube — the underground
  16. snap — to click
  17. key — for a lock
  18. deal — to handle
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. key — the most important part
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. craft — boats

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