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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. race — the arms race
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. chest — a box
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. chest — of your body
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. race — a contest
  14. race — humankind
  15. chest — of your body
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. wound — an injury
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bank — of a river

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