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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. plane — a tool
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. bore — to drill
  12. pit — a hole
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bore — to tire
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — a short time
  19. content — happy
  20. content — the amount
  21. spell — magic
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. tube — a container

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