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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mark — a trace
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. pass — a permit
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. stock — shares
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stock — goods
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. charge — a price
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. charge — in control
  23. foot — a measure
  24. patient — a sick person

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