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: swing · bat · pound · firm · kid · plane · bore · calf

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bat — the animal
  6. swing — in golf
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. kid — child
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. firm — a company
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. firm — steady
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. swing — music
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. kid — to tease
  20. plane — a tool
  21. firm — decided
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. bore — gave birth

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