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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — to drill
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. key — for a lock
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. key — in music
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. cap — a hat
  12. land — a country
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. land — ground
  15. key — the most important part
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. shower — rain
  23. land — to come down
  24. fan — a supporter

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