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: press · ball · calf · wound · toast · firm · patient · root

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. ball — a dance
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. toast — bread
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — newspapers
  9. root — of a word
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wound — an injury
  12. ball — a great time
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wound — an injury
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. press — to push
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. firm — decided
  24. calf — a young animal

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