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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. spring — of water
  6. bear — the animal
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to confront
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bore — to drill
  13. spring — a coil
  14. kick — in football
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — a practice
  17. face — to point toward
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spring — the season
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bore — to tire

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