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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. current — of water
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bore — to tire
  7. rock — music
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rock — a stone
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. lean — thin
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. current — happening now
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bore — to drill
  18. current — electric
  19. lean — to bend
  20. season — of the year
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. season — in 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