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: fall · perch · mate · club · date · bear · bore · bay

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bore — to drill
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mate — to breed
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bear — the animal
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. fall — the season
  14. mate — a partner
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. club — a group
  20. fall — to drop
  21. date — the fruit
  22. mate — a friend
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. club — for golf

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