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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. file — a line of people
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pound — a weight
  10. suit — in cards
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. file — a tool
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. file — a document
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pound — to hit hard

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