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 120 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: ball · object · patient · season · rest · track · calf · fan

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. object — to protest
  3. rest — what's left
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a dance
  7. rest — a break
  8. object — a thing
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. season — in sport
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. season — of the year
  15. track — a path
  16. ball — a great time
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. object — an aim
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. track — a song
  24. rest — what's left

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