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: bear · chip · kick · net · bore · key · bay · snap

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bear — the animal
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. key — in music
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. key — the most important part
  8. kick — in football
  9. net — after costs
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bear — the animal
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. net — for catching
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. net — in sport
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — to eat
  18. snap — to click
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bore — to drill
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bay — a horse colour

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