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 116 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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bound — certain
  3. bore — to tire
  4. kid — to tease
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bore — to drill
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. game — a match
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bound — obliged
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. prune — to trim
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. kid — child

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