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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pop — soda
  6. fork — in a road
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bore — to tire
  9. pop — to visit
  10. toast — bread
  11. ball — a great time
  12. tear — to rip
  13. ball — a dance
  14. roll — a list
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pop — music
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. tear — from crying
  24. fork — a garden tool

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