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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. band — a ring
  4. bore — to drill
  5. kid — child
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. present — there
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. present — a gift
  10. firm — a company
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — steady
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pop — music
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bore — to tire
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. kid — to tease
  23. present — the time now
  24. pop — soda

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