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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. swing — music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. swing — to play on
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. fall — the season
  14. foot — a measure
  15. swing — in golf
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bore — to drill
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. wound — an injury
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. kick — in football

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