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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. tube — a container
  3. staff — employees
  4. kid — to tease
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mate — to breed
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. tube — the underground
  10. staff — employees
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — of ice
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. mate — a friend
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. mate — a partner
  19. staff — a stick
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hand — help
  22. cap — a lid
  23. kid — child
  24. calf — of the leg

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