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: arm · calf · patient · plane · rock · suit · bat · degree

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bat — the animal
  5. rock — a stone
  6. suit — to fit
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. plane — a tool
  10. degree — an amount
  11. suit — clothes
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. degree — from a university
  19. suit — in cards
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. plane — in geometry

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