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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. object — to protest
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. object — an aim
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. fine — all right
  9. lean — to bend
  10. fine — high quality
  11. row — to paddle
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. kick — in football
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bore — to drill
  18. object — a thing
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. row — a line
  21. bass — low music
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. lean — thin

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