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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mark — a grade
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — to wash
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stem — to come from
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. current — happening now
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. mark — a trace
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — with your hand

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