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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. kick — in football
  3. bulb — for light
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. track — to keep track
  6. land — a country
  7. land — to come down
  8. bore — to drill
  9. staff — a stick
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — to sink
  14. staff — employees
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bulb — for light
  19. track — a song
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. staff — employees
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. land — ground
  24. track — a path

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