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 116 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: mug · ball · calf · game · patient · cue · lean · saw

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ball — a great time
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. mug — a cup
  7. game — a match
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cue — a signal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. cue — for pool
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. mug — a face
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lean — thin
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. game — wild animals
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. mug — to rob

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