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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. wound — an injury
  3. net — after costs
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bore — to drill
  7. land — a country
  8. net — in sport
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. net — for catching
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. land — to come down
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rush — hurry
  24. wound — an injury

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