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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bore — to drill
  4. staff — employees
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. content — happy
  7. drill — army training
  8. can — a tin
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. can — a tin
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bore — to tire
  15. staff — employees
  16. stand — to bear
  17. drill — a practice
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. content — the amount
  20. staff — a stick
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. can — to be able to
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. drill — the tool

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