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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. deal — to handle
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. vault — a safe
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bat — the animal
  18. tube — a container
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. hand — help
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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