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 · object · cue · patient · net · bay · mine · drill

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. object — a thing
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. object — to protest
  7. net — for catching
  8. mine — for digging
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. drill — a practice
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. net — after costs
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. drill — army training
  21. cue — for pool
  22. object — an aim
  23. cue — a signal
  24. drill — the tool

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