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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bore — to tire
  7. lean — to bend
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bound — tied together
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wind — moving air
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. wind — moving air
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mate — a friend
  16. lean — thin
  17. bound — obliged
  18. rule — a law
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bound — certain
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bore — to drill
  23. mate — a partner
  24. rule — government

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