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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. last — to go on
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bore — to drill
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lie — to recline
  10. last — finally
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. last — final
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. shower — to wash
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. drill — army training
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — the tool
  23. shower — rain
  24. bore — to tire

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