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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. track — a song
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. squash — to crush
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. court — for sport
  8. court — of a king
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fine — all right
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. squash — the sport
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bound — tied together
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. track — a path
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. squash — the vegetable

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