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: bore · court · roll · calf · fall · foot · patient · sharp

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. fall — the season
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. roll — a cake
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. roll — a list
  7. court — of law
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. foot — a measure
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. fall — to drop
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fall — to drop
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bore — to tire
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bore — to drill
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of a king
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. foot — part of the body

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