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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. file — a line of people
  3. chair — a leader
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. content — happy
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. file — a document
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a friend
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. bore — to tire
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. mate — a partner
  20. content — the amount
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. file — a tool

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