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 120 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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bark — to shout
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. net — in sport
  9. bore — to tire
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. kick — in football
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. saw — the tool
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — for catching
  24. squash — the sport

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