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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. tube — a container
  7. object — a thing
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. press — to push
  10. bass — low music
  11. object — an aim
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. tube — the underground
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. object — to protest
  18. press — newspapers
  19. track — a song
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. track — a path
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. tube — in a 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