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 116 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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. sharp — clever
  6. last — to go on
  7. bear — the animal
  8. game — a match
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. last — finally
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. firm — steady
  14. bear — the animal
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. branch — a division
  17. board — to get on
  18. game — wild animals
  19. board — a committee
  20. firm — decided
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. last — final
  24. firm — a company

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