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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bore — to drill
  4. craft — a skill
  5. dip — to sink
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — size or range
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. craft — boats
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. roll — a cake
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bore — to tire
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. game — a match
  18. scale — in music
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rush — hurry
  23. game — wild animals
  24. dip — a sauce

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