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: last · racket · bear · calf · mark · ground · coach · bore

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  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. racket — a loud noise
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bear — the animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bore — to drill
  9. last — to go on
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — a position
  12. last — finally
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. last — final
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. ground — crushed
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  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