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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. row — a line
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bore — to drill
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fine — high quality
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. rock — music
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. date — the fruit
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bulb — for light
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. row — to paddle
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fine — all right
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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