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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. present — there
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — a signal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. present — a gift
  11. cue — for pool
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. present — the time now
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — a lid
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cap — of ice
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. vault — a safe

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