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 116 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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — for digging
  6. degree — from a university
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chair — a leader
  9. tube — a container
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. degree — an amount
  12. present — a gift
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. tube — the underground
  18. present — the time now
  19. degree — temperature
  20. bore — to tire
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. present — there

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