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 · stem · pass · fork · file · arm · rest

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. rest — what's left
  3. file — a document
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. stem — to come from
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. rest — what's left
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rest — a break
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — in a road
  19. file — a tool
  20. file — a line of people
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. patient — a sick person

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