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: key · bore · cabinet · present · chest · mark · nail · calf

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. present — there
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. chest — of your body
  10. present — a gift
  11. bore — to tire
  12. mark — a trace
  13. key — for a lock
  14. chest — a box
  15. bore — to drill
  16. key — in music
  17. chest — of your body
  18. present — the time now
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mark — a grade
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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