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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rest — what's left
  5. can — to be able to
  6. march — the month
  7. lean — to bend
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. can — a tin
  12. march — music
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rock — a stone
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — thin
  17. rock — music
  18. can — a tin
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. march — the month
  23. game — wild animals
  24. scale — for weighing

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