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

Word bank: pass · hide · spring · bore · calf · squash · mate · can

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. can — a tin
  5. spring — a coil
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a partner
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bore — to drill
  19. can — a tin
  20. pass — a permit
  21. spring — the season
  22. can — to be able to
  23. squash — to crush
  24. mate — a friend

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