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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bore — to drill
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bore — to tire
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mate — to breed
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mate — a friend
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. ball — a dance
  12. tear — to rip
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. branch — a division
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pass — a permit
  24. tear — from crying

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