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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. capital — money
  3. cap — of ice
  4. row — a line
  5. cap — a lid
  6. row — to paddle
  7. tube — a container
  8. capital — a city
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — for dancing
  15. cap — a hat
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to tire
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. wax — to grow
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. club — a group
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. tube — the underground

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