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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bear — the animal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. track — a path
  10. track — to keep track
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. track — a song
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bowl — to roll

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