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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. drill — a practice
  3. chest — a box
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. press — a publisher
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. foot — a measure
  12. hand — in cards
  13. chest — of your body
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. drill — army training
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. drill — the tool
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. press — to push
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bore — to drill
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bore — to tire

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