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 124 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bore — to drill
  4. object — a thing
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. mug — a face
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — the time now
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. object — to protest
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bark — to shout
  21. content — the amount
  22. present — there
  23. content — happy
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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