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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pitch — completely
  7. shower — to wash
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — to drill
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. mine — for digging
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. shower — rain
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rush — a thrill

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