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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. rule — government
  3. key — for a lock
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bore — to tire
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. key — the most important part
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bark — to shout
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. rule — a law
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. key — in music
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. pound — a weight
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. saw — the tool

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