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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pass — a permit
  6. swing — music
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. swing — to play on
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. court — of law
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. court — of a king
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bore — to tire
  19. chair — a leader
  20. deal — to handle
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. court — for sport
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bowl — to roll

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