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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bank — for money
  3. row — to paddle
  4. press — a publisher
  5. cap — of ice
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cap — a hat
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. firm — a company
  16. bank — of a river
  17. firm — decided
  18. row — a line
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. cap — a lid
  22. firm — steady
  23. bank — for money
  24. press — to push

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