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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. march — the month
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. march — music
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. file — a document
  10. march — the month
  11. file — a tool
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. present — the time now
  16. game — wild animals
  17. present — there
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rest — a break
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. present — a gift
  23. bore — to tire
  24. file — a line of people

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