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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pop — to visit
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pop — music
  8. lean — thin
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. pop — soda
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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