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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bore — to drill
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. chest — a box
  7. bore — to tire
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. roll — a list
  11. rock — music
  12. chest — of your body
  13. last — to go on
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. last — final
  18. rock — a stone
  19. chest — of your body
  20. roll — a cake
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. last — finally
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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