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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. mate — to breed
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. chip — to eat
  5. drill — army training
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mate — a friend
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wake — a trail
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bore — to tire
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. mark — a grade
  23. drill — a practice
  24. mate — a partner

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