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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. current — happening now
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. object — a thing
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. object — an aim
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. current — electric
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. current — of water
  19. bore — to drill
  20. perch — the fish
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — all right

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