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: spell · calf · band · stand · nail · mouse · bore · shower

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bore — to drill
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bore — to tire
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. band — a music group
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. spell — letters
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. band — a ring
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. shower — rain

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