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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. swing — music
  4. present — a gift
  5. suit — to fit
  6. swing — to play on
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — there
  12. swing — in golf
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — completely
  17. suit — in cards
  18. kid — child
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — certain
  21. kid — to tease
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bound — obliged

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