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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. roll — a list
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — to tire
  11. race — a contest
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. race — the arms race
  14. roll — a cake
  15. lie — to recline
  16. branch — a division
  17. rash — a series
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — in sport
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. rash — hasty
  23. race — humankind
  24. roll — on a roll

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