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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bore — to drill
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mark — a trace
  8. object — an aim
  9. mark — a grade
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. perch — the fish
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rash — hasty
  14. hand — in cards
  15. rash — a series
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. hand — help
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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