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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. toast — bread
  4. row — to paddle
  5. march — music
  6. bore — to drill
  7. row — a line
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bore — to tire
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. march — the month
  20. cue — a hint
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. plane — a tool
  23. march — the month
  24. prune — the fruit

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