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 116 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. game — wild animals
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. scale — size or range
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — in music
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. game — a match
  16. pit — in a race
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bore — to drill
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. pit — a hole
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. suit — clothes

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