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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bore — to drill
  3. deal — to handle
  4. drill — army training
  5. shower — rain
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. branch — a division
  8. suit — clothes
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. land — a country
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. suit — to fit
  14. drill — a practice
  15. shower — to wash
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. land — ground
  18. land — to come down
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. drill — the tool

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