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 · kick · wind · present · key · perch · bass

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. present — a gift
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bass — the fish
  8. present — there
  9. kick — in football
  10. key — in music
  11. present — the time now
  12. bore — to tire
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. perch — the fish
  16. key — for a lock
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. key — the most important part
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wind — moving air
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. calf — a young animal

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