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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — the earth
  8. chest — a box
  9. court — for sport
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bore — to tire
  12. track — a path
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. track — a song
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. chest — of your body
  17. lie — to recline
  18. ground — crushed
  19. court — of law
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bulb — for light
  23. court — of a king
  24. chest — of your body

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