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 120 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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. file — a tool
  2. bore — to tire
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. file — a line of people
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bore — to drill
  11. charge — electricity
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. saw — the tool
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. charge — a price
  16. kick — in football
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. file — a document
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. saw — the tool
  23. charge — in control
  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