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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. can — a tin
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. current — happening now
  8. can — a tin
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. saw — the tool
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. saw — the tool
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. court — for sport
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. current — of water
  21. court — of a king
  22. current — electric
  23. can — to be able to
  24. snap — to click

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