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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · calf · saw · face · wound · bore · nail · deal

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. deal — to handle
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bore — to drill
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. saw — the tool
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. ground — crushed
  15. saw — the tool
  16. face — to confront
  17. ground — the earth
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bore — to tire
  20. ground — a position
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wound — an injury
  23. face — to point toward
  24. wound — an injury

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