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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bass — low music
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bank — for money
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. capital — money
  12. bank — for money
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — magic
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. lean — thin
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bear — the animal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bank — of a river
  22. capital — a city
  23. spell — a short time
  24. bass — the fish

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