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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. ball — a great time
  9. saw — the tool
  10. roll — a cake
  11. row — a line
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. land — ground
  14. land — to come down
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. suit — in cards
  17. roll — a list
  18. row — to paddle
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ball — a dance
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bore — to tire
  23. land — a country
  24. row — a quarrel

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