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 120 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bore — to drill
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. dip — to sink
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mark — a trace
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — to shout
  16. chest — of your body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. mark — a grade
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. chest — a box
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. chest — of your body

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