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 · foot · fine · wind · pit · rash · mark · calf

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. wind — moving air
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fine — all right
  8. mark — a grade
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wind — moving air
  11. rash — a series
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pit — a hole
  19. foot — a measure
  20. rash — hasty
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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