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: sharp · chest · straw · calf · bay · mug · deal · bore

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. mug — a cup
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. chest — a box
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bore — to drill
  14. mug — a face
  15. chest — of your body
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bore — to tire
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chest — of your body
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. sharp — clever

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