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 · foot · craft · snap · root · capital · mark

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. foot — a measure
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. capital — a city
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. craft — a skill
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — a grade
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. root — the cause
  21. capital — money
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. craft — boats
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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