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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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. bore — gave birth
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. object — to protest
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cold — an illness
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. object — a thing
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pound — a weight
  15. wax — to grow
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. cold — not warm
  19. object — an aim
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — a law
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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