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: wake · patient · calf · ball · chest · bowl · season · lash

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. chest — of your body
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. wake — a trail
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. ball — a great time
  16. season — in sport
  17. ball — a dance
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. chest — a box
  22. season — of the year
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bowl — to roll

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