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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. season — in sport
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to tire
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. wake — a trail
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to click
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mine — for digging
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  24. pitcher — a jug

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