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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — to visit
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. spell — a short time
  8. chip — for betting
  9. mate — a friend
  10. spell — letters
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bore — to drill
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pop — music
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bore — to tire
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. spell — magic
  23. bat — the animal
  24. mate — to breed

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