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: can · patient · stock · foot · wind · bass · calf · season

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. season — of the year
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. season — in sport
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bass — the fish
  8. can — a tin
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. stock — goods
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stock — shares
  15. wind — moving air
  16. foot — a measure
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. can — a tin
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. wind — moving air
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bass — low music
  24. can — to be able to

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