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: content · lash · board · calf · fall · squash · patient · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. board — a committee
  3. content — happy
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fall — the season
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. board — to get on
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. fall — to drop
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. squash — to crush
  19. content — the amount
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fall — to drop
  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