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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · lean · lash · land · chest · patient

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — ground
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lean — thin
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chest — a box
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. land — a country
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. lash — a whip stroke

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