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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. firm — decided
  3. bore — to tire
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. drill — a practice
  6. can — a tin
  7. drill — army training
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. prune — to trim
  10. clip — to cut
  11. clip — for paper
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. can — to be able to
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — for golf
  19. firm — steady
  20. drill — the tool
  21. clip — a video
  22. firm — a company
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. prune — to trim

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