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 120 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. row — a line
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bore — to tire
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bat — the animal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. row — to paddle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to drill

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