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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. game — a match
  6. press — to push
  7. drill — the tool
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — to grow
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bore — to drill
  14. drill — army training
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. suit — in cards
  18. content — happy
  19. drill — a practice
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. press — newspapers
  23. game — wild animals
  24. press — a publisher

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