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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — low music
  5. capital — a city
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. dip — to sink
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. capital — money
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. track — a song
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bore — to tire
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. row — to paddle
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. row — a line
  23. track — a path
  24. wax — to grow

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