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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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. land — a country
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bore — to drill
  5. land — to come down
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. stand — to bear
  8. object — to protest
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. drill — a practice
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. drill — the tool
  15. object — an aim
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. drill — army training
  18. object — a thing
  19. land — ground
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pass — a permit
  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