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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. drill — army training
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. drill — a practice
  8. wake — a trail
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bore — to tire
  11. chip — for betting
  12. mate — to breed
  13. swing — music
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. swing — to play on
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bore — to drill
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — for pool
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. cue — a signal
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — a friend

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