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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bore — to drill
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. kid — to tease
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bore — to tire
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. kid — child
  11. bound — obliged
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. face — to point toward
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bound — certain
  18. net — after costs
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. net — in sport
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. net — for catching

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