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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. lean — to bend
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. content — the amount
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bat — the animal
  18. lean — thin
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. ball — a great time
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bore — to tire
  24. lean — to rest against

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