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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rule — government
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. race — humankind
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. race — a contest
  14. bore — to drill
  15. race — the arms race
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. rule — a law

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