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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. clip — for paper
  3. kid — child
  4. bore — to tire
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. clip — to cut
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. charge — a price
  10. cue — a hint
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. charge — in control
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. cue — a signal
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cue — for pool
  19. foot — a measure
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. kid — to tease
  22. clip — a video
  23. pitch — completely
  24. bore — gave birth

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