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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. shower — rain
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bore — to tire
  6. dip — to sink
  7. root — of a plant
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bore — to drill
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. fall — the season
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. root — the cause
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fall — to drop
  21. shower — to wash
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. root — of a word
  24. fall — to drop

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