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 · patient · mark · bark · sharp · lean · foot · coach

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a grade
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mark — a trace
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bark — to shout
  16. sharp — clever
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. lean — thin
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. calf — of the leg

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