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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. squash — the sport
  3. drill — army training
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. kick — in football
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bear — the animal
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. drill — the tool
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. face — to confront
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bore — to drill
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bore — to tire
  23. squash — to crush
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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