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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bulb — for light
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bore — to tire
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bore — to drill
  10. squash — the sport
  11. prune — to trim
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  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