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: chip · net · tube · trunk · patient · face · swing · calf

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. face — to confront
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. swing — music
  6. net — in sport
  7. swing — in golf
  8. net — after costs
  9. tube — the underground
  10. chip — to eat
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — part of the head
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. swing — to play on
  19. tube — a container
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. chip — for betting

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