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 116 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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. drill — a practice
  3. kick — in football
  4. bore — to drill
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. scale — size or range
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. game — a match
  13. cold — an illness
  14. game — wild animals
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. scale — in music
  20. cold — not warm
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. drill — army training

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