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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — of water
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. tube — a container
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. spell — magic
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mate — to breed
  14. current — electric
  15. bore — to tire
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mate — a partner
  19. tube — the underground
  20. key — for a lock
  21. spell — a short time
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. deal — to handle
  24. key — in music

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