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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. chest — of your body
  3. ground — a position
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bore — to tire
  7. chest — of your body
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. spell — magic
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — the earth
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. spell — a short time
  23. chest — a box
  24. spell — letters

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