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: bore · jam · snap · court · calf · lie · object · season

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. object — an aim
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — for sport
  9. snap — to click
  10. season — in sport
  11. object — a thing
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. lie — to recline
  20. season — of the year
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. object — to protest
  23. court — of law
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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