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: cabinet · mate · bore · snap · craft · calf · board · dip

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mate — to breed
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. snap — to click
  8. bore — to drill
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mate — a friend
  15. dip — to sink
  16. board — a committee
  17. craft — boats
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. board — to get on
  21. craft — a skill
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. calf — a young animal

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