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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bore — to tire
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bass — the fish
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bore — to drill
  10. object — a thing
  11. bass — low music
  12. pound — a weight
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. object — to protest
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. object — an aim
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. calf — a young animal

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