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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bore — to tire
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. present — the time now
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. chest — a box
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. present — there
  15. squash — the sport
  16. rush — hurry
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pass — a permit
  19. chest — of your body
  20. present — a gift
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. wax — to grow
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. squash — to crush

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