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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. clip — for paper
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. clip — a video
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. clip — to cut
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — to bear
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pound — a weight
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. coach — a trainer

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