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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bore — to drill
  16. saw — the tool
  17. chair — a leader
  18. pit — a hole

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