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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. shower — rain
  4. court — of law
  5. cue — a signal
  6. current — of water
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. content — happy
  10. court — of a king
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. shower — to wash
  15. pop — music
  16. court — for sport
  17. current — electric
  18. cue — for pool
  19. pop — to visit
  20. current — happening now
  21. content — the amount
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. pop — soda

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