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: spell · lash · calf · rock · patient · march · rush · snap

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. snap — to click
  3. march — the month
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. march — the month
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. spell — letters
  10. rock — music
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. march — music
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. spell — magic
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rush — hurry
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. spell — a short time
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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