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 116 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — for catching
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. net — after costs
  9. perch — the fish
  10. game — a match
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. season — in sport
  19. craft — a skill
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. game — wild animals
  24. season — of the year

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