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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bore — to tire
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. present — a gift
  10. bore — to drill
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. content — the amount
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. content — happy
  21. present — there
  22. kid — child
  23. present — the time now
  24. leaves — of a tree

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