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: cell · mark · bore · mine · stick · cabinet · pop · calf

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — for digging
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — to visit
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. cell — in biology
  12. mark — a grade
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pop — music
  24. bore — gave birth

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