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 120 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — a friend
  4. board — to get on
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. face — part of the head
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. face — to point toward
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. face — to confront
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lie — to recline
  22. board — a committee
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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