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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pit — in a race
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bore — to tire
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. court — of a king
  12. bore — to drill
  13. pit — a hole
  14. court — for sport
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. rule — a law
  17. plane — a tool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wake — a trail
  22. rule — government
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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