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 · lean · row · dip · cue · last · pitch

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in 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. row — a quarrel
  3. lean — to bend
  4. dip — to sink
  5. cue — a hint
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. last — finally
  8. cue — for pool
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. cue — a signal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. last — final
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. pitch — completely
  17. row — a line
  18. lean — thin
  19. last — to go on
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bore — to tire
  22. row — to paddle
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bore — to drill

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