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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. race — humankind
  10. club — a group
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bulb — for light
  14. tube — a container
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bulb — for light
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. club — for golf
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. race — the arms race
  22. club — for dancing
  23. race — a contest
  24. tube — the underground

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