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: calf · bore · pop · pound · cue · capital · perch · present

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. present — a gift
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pop — soda
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. capital — a city
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. capital — money
  12. pound — a weight
  13. cue — for pool
  14. present — the time now
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pop — music
  19. cue — a signal
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. present — there
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bore — to tire

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