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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. bear — the animal
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. mug — a face
  11. hand — help
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mug — to rob
  15. rock — music
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. toast — bread
  18. content — the amount
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mug — a cup
  23. content — happy
  24. rock — a stone

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