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: last · pitch · game · calf · stand · rash · rush · patient

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. last — finally
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rush — hurry
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. last — final
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rash — hasty
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — a match
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rash — a series
  23. last — to go on
  24. game — wild animals

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