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 120 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: rule · calf · fine · chair · hide · fork · stock · patient

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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. calf — a young animal
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rule — government
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. stock — goods
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. rule — a law
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. fork — in a road
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. chair — a leader
  21. fine — all right
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. stock — shares
  24. fine — a penalty

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