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: pop · cell · cap · calf · bore · rest · pitcher · wind

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  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. bore — to drill
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cell — a phone
  4. rest — a break
  5. pop — music
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cap — of ice
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pop — to visit
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pop — soda
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. wind — moving air
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cell — in biology
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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