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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bore — to drill
  3. chip — for betting
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bore — to tire
  7. season — in sport
  8. court — of a king
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. season — of the year
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. court — of law
  17. bark — to shout
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. saw — the tool
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. court — for sport

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