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: kick · face · court · patient · prune · bound · arm · calf

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bound — obliged
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. face — to confront
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. prune — to trim
  12. court — of a king
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. court — for sport
  15. bound — tied together
  16. prune — to trim
  17. kick — in football
  18. face — part of the head
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bound — certain
  24. face — to point toward

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