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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bore — to drill
  4. game — wild animals
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pitch — completely
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. scale — in music
  13. rash — hasty
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — a match
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — size or range
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. rash — a series
  24. dip — a sauce

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