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: cabinet · craft · snap · stand · patient · calf · rash · fan

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — to bear
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — hasty
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. craft — a skill
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. snap — to click
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stand — for spectators

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