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 124 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. mine — for digging
  8. tear — to rip
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. track — a song
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. tear — from crying
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. face — to point toward
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. face — part of the head
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. tear — from crying
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. face — to confront
  24. rule — government

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