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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to point toward
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. spring — a coil
  12. face — to confront
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bore — to tire
  15. spring — the season
  16. spring — of water
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — a tool
  19. perch — the fish
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pitcher — a jug

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