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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. mate — to breed
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. bore — to tire
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. cold — not warm
  12. mark — a trace
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mate — a partner
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. mate — a friend
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. cold — an illness
  24. mark — to pay attention

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