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 · rash · patient · pit · rock · stand · present · stick

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rock — music
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rock — a stone
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. present — there
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. present — the time now
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. rash — hasty
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rash — a series
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. present — a gift
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — to bear

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