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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — there
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bore — to tire
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. cell — a phone
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — for golf
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mark — a trace
  14. present — a gift
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. bass — low music
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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