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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bore — to tire
  6. land — ground
  7. stem — to come from
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. land — a country
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. drill — the tool
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. drill — a practice
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. drill — army training
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — the earth
  22. land — to come down
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. kick — in football

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