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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. firm — steady
  3. bore — to tire
  4. squash — to crush
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. firm — decided
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. saw — the tool
  15. firm — a company
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. rule — government
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rule — a law
  22. dip — to sink
  23. squash — the sport
  24. dip — a sauce

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