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

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bore — to drill
  6. spell — magic
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mate — a friend
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pass — a permit
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — letters
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. hide — to keep secret

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