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 120 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — to drill
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. chest — of your body
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. object — an aim
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. object — a thing
  17. pass — a permit
  18. object — to protest
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — a box
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. dip — a sauce

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