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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. tear — from crying
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. tear — to rip
  9. chest — a box
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. tear — from crying
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bore — to drill
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. chest — of your body
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bore — to tire
  23. chest — of your body
  24. coach — a trainer

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