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 120 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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. stock — shares
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bound — certain
  10. drill — army training
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. rash — a series
  16. stock — goods
  17. drill — the tool
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bound — tied together
  21. drill — a practice
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — a container
  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