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 116 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. swing — in golf
  7. chip — for betting
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bound — tied together
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. sharp — clever
  12. swing — to play on
  13. bound — certain
  14. swing — music
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bound — obliged
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — to drill
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. calf — a young animal

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