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 116 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. spell — magic
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. press — newspapers
  6. game — wild animals
  7. spell — letters
  8. key — the most important part
  9. pop — soda
  10. land — a country
  11. land — to come down
  12. game — a match
  13. key — for a lock
  14. spell — a short time
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pop — to visit
  18. press — to push
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. key — in music
  21. land — ground
  22. pop — music
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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