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: wake · clip · calf · content · prune · bore · jam · suit

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. clip — for paper
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. suit — to fit
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. clip — to cut
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. suit — in cards
  12. content — the amount
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. prune — to trim
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. clip — a video
  17. content — happy
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. wake — a trail
  20. suit — clothes
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. bore — to tire
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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