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 · wound · patient · hide · board · vault · tear · key

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. vault — a safe
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. wound — an injury
  6. key — in music
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. tear — to rip
  9. wound — an injury
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. tear — from crying
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. board — to get on
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. board — a committee
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. tear — from crying

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