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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. land — to come down
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. can — a tin
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bore — to drill
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. sharp — clever
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. file — a tool
  12. file — a line of people
  13. land — ground
  14. land — a country
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. can — a tin
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. file — a document
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bore — to tire

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