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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. field — for sport
  3. saw — the tool
  4. lie — to recline
  5. shower — to wash
  6. field — farmland
  7. row — to paddle
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. firm — a company
  10. shower — rain
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. row — a line
  16. bore — to drill
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. firm — decided
  19. bore — to tire
  20. firm — steady
  21. wax — to grow
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. field — a subject
  24. bore — gave birth

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