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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. cell — in biology
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — steady
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bore — to tire
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. firm — a company
  16. rush — hurry
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bear — the animal
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. perch — the fish
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. snap — to click

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