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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. suit — to fit
  3. face — to confront
  4. deal — to handle
  5. march — the month
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bore — to drill
  11. degree — temperature
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. march — music
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. degree — an amount
  18. degree — from a university
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — part of the head
  21. hand — help
  22. march — the month
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. foot — a measure

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