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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bore — to drill
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bore — to tire
  5. content — the amount
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. game — wild animals
  10. pound — a weight
  11. present — a gift
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. game — a match
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. content — happy
  23. present — the time now
  24. leaves — of a tree

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