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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. land — a country
  4. court — of a king
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. land — ground
  7. firm — decided
  8. present — the time now
  9. court — for sport
  10. present — there
  11. tube — the underground
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. root — of a plant
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. firm — a company
  16. court — of law
  17. root — the cause
  18. tube — a container
  19. bore — to tire
  20. root — of a word
  21. land — to come down
  22. firm — steady
  23. lie — to recline
  24. present — a gift

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