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 120 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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. race — a contest
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. wound — an injury
  5. content — happy
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. club — a group
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. club — for golf
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bore — to tire
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — the amount
  17. race — humankind
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wound — an injury
  20. perch — the fish
  21. club — for dancing
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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