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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bore — to tire
  4. kick — in football
  5. lean — thin
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mug — to rob
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bore — to drill
  15. lean — to bend
  16. mug — a face
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. content — happy
  21. mug — a cup
  22. content — the amount
  23. kick — with a leg
  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