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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. key — for a lock
  3. drill — the tool
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. drill — army training
  7. rock — music
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. key — the most important part
  10. wound — an injury
  11. date — the fruit
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. key — in music
  18. rock — a stone
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wound — an injury
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bore — to tire
  23. drill — a practice
  24. rock — to move gently

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