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: calf · bass · present · safe · content · firm · wind · bore

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. firm — decided
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. present — there
  5. firm — a company
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. present — a gift
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bass — the fish
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. content — the amount
  13. wind — moving air
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bass — low music
  18. content — happy
  19. bore — to drill
  20. present — the time now
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. firm — steady
  24. bore — to tire

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