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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. object — a thing
  3. drill — the tool
  4. wind — moving air
  5. object — an aim
  6. bore — to drill
  7. race — a contest
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — humankind
  13. wind — moving air
  14. object — to protest
  15. pound — a weight
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bore — to tire
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — there
  21. present — a gift
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — all right

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