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: patient · calf · pitcher · rock · bowl · nail · march · sharp

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. march — the month
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. march — the month
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. sharp — clever
  11. rock — music
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rock — a stone
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bowl — a dish

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