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 · bore · bark · field · staff · nail · bass · dip

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. dip — to sink
  6. field — farmland
  7. staff — employees
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bark — to shout
  13. field — for sport
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. field — a subject
  19. staff — employees
  20. bore — to tire
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bore — to drill
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. nail — for a hammer

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