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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bore — to tire
  3. kid — child
  4. bulb — for light
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. kid — to tease
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. wind — moving air
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bore — to drill
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. firm — a company
  18. wind — moving air
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. wind — to turn a key

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