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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pop — music
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pop — to visit
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pop — soda
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cap — a hat
  13. spell — magic
  14. branch — a division
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. spell — a short time
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. cap — of ice
  21. spell — letters
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. calf — a young animal

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