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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. track — to keep track
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. branch — a division
  5. bore — to drill
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bulb — for light
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. track — a path
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bore — to tire
  16. track — a song
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. roll — a list
  19. kick — in football
  20. roll — a cake
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bulb — for light
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. perch — the fish

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