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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bore — to tire
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wind — moving air
  10. rock — music
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. wind — moving air
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pit — a hole
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — to come from
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pit — in a race

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