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: safe · craft · fan · field · pitch · patient · charge · calf

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. field — farmland
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — completely
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. charge — a price
  16. craft — a skill
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. field — a subject
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. field — for sport
  24. patient — a sick person

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