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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to tire
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. band — a music group
  6. toast — bread
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bore — to drill
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mate — to breed
  12. rush — hurry
  13. spring — a coil
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. mate — a partner
  16. band — a ring
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mate — a friend
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. spring — the season
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. rock — music

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