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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bore — to tire
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. cap — of ice
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. foot — a measure
  9. net — in sport
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. net — after costs
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bore — to drill
  14. land — a country
  15. cap — a lid
  16. land — ground
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. net — for catching
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bulb — for light
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bulb — for light

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