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 · row · roll · pit · calf · spring · safe · wave

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. spring — the season
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. spring — of water
  10. row — a line
  11. spring — a coil
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. row — to paddle
  15. roll — a cake
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pit — a hole
  18. roll — a list
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. pit — in a race
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. safe — out of danger
  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