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: calf · current · coach · stick · rush · squash · bulb · patient

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. squash — the sport
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bulb — for light
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — of water
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. squash — to crush
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. current — electric
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. coach — a trainer

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