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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bore — to tire
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bore — to drill
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. tear — to rip
  7. fork — in a road
  8. can — a tin
  9. rock — music
  10. spell — letters
  11. can — a tin
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. spell — a short time
  14. tear — from crying
  15. spell — magic
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. can — to be able to
  23. pit — in a race
  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