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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. object — an aim
  3. kick — in football
  4. content — happy
  5. object — a thing
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. face — to point toward
  10. sharp — clever
  11. object — to protest
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. content — the amount
  14. face — part of the head
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. face — to confront
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bore — to drill
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stand — on your feet

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