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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cue — for pool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cue — a signal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wind — moving air
  20. cue — a hint
  21. branch — a division
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wind — to turn a key

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