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: foot · present · bark · squash · kick · pop · content · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. present — there
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pop — to visit
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pop — soda
  9. kick — in football
  10. squash — to crush
  11. content — happy
  12. pop — music
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. present — the time now
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. squash — the sport
  17. content — the amount
  18. present — a gift
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bore — to tire
  24. content — videos and posts

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