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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  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. dip — to sink
  3. roll — a list
  4. cold — an illness
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. roll — a cake
  12. suit — in cards
  13. root — the cause
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cold — not warm
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pound — a weight
  19. suit — to fit
  20. root — of a word
  21. root — of a plant
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. wind — moving air
  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