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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. drill — the tool
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rule — a law
  5. present — there
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. present — the time now
  9. drill — army training
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. rock — a stone
  12. root — of a word
  13. rock — music
  14. bore — to drill
  15. root — the cause
  16. present — a gift
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. rule — government
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. root — of a plant

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