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 120 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. ground — a position
  3. bore — to drill
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fall — the season
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. fall — to drop
  9. pit — in a race
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bore — to tire
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. ground — crushed
  15. squash — the sport
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. rash — a series
  19. squash — to crush
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. chip — to eat
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. ground — the earth
  24. fall — to drop

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