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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. firm — steady
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. cap — of ice
  14. firm — decided
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. firm — a company
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wind — to turn a key

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