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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bass — low music
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fall — to drop
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bore — to drill
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bass — the fish
  16. fall — the season
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. fall — to drop
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to click
  21. foot — a measure
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ruler — for measuring

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