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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. ground — the earth
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bore — to tire
  7. net — for catching
  8. net — in sport
  9. bore — to drill
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. track — a song
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. track — a path
  23. track — to keep track
  24. net — after costs

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