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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. branch — a division
  3. bore — to drill
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. swing — music
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. snap — to click
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rest — what's left
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. swing — in golf
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — a trail
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rest — a break
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. lie — to recline
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chip — for betting

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