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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. spell — letters
  3. wound — an injury
  4. spell — magic
  5. can — a tin
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bore — to drill
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. wind — moving air
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. wind — moving air
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bore — to tire
  16. can — to be able to
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. can — a tin
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. spell — a short time
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. saw — the tool
  24. wound — an injury

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