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 124 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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. chip — to eat
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bark — to shout
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — a group
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. chip — for betting
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rest — what's left
  16. club — for dancing
  17. scale — size or range
  18. stem — to come from
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bore — to tire
  21. scale — in music
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. arm — part of the body

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