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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mine — for digging
  6. present — a gift
  7. can — a tin
  8. pop — to visit
  9. staff — a stick
  10. present — the time now
  11. pop — music
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. present — there
  14. can — a tin
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. board — to get on
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. can — to be able to
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pop — soda
  21. bore — to tire
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. board — a committee

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