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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bound — certain
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bound — obliged
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. spring — of water
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. spring — a coil
  18. wound — an injury
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bound — tied together
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. spring — the season
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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