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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bore — to tire
  3. wax — to grow
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bore — to drill
  6. face — part of the head
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. race — a contest
  11. present — the time now
  12. sharp — clever
  13. present — a gift
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — to point toward
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. present — there
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. race — humankind
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. race — the arms race
  24. bore — gave birth

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