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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bore — to drill
  3. court — of a king
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. last — finally
  7. kick — in football
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. key — in music
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. court — for sport
  12. key — for a lock
  13. last — final
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. court — of law
  18. key — the most important part
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. hand — help
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bore — to tire

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