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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. pop — to visit
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lean — thin
  8. track — a path
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. track — to keep track
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. pop — music
  16. season — in sport
  17. pop — soda
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. season — of the year
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — in a road
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. track — a song

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