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: last · pit · present · saw · calf · tear · coach · bore

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bore — to drill
  4. tear — from crying
  5. present — the time now
  6. saw — the tool
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bore — to tire
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. tear — from crying
  13. present — there
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. last — final
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. present — a gift
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. last — finally
  20. pit — a hole
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. saw — the tool
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. last — to go on

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