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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bore — to drill
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. scale — size or range
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. can — a tin
  11. content — happy
  12. cold — not warm
  13. foot — a measure
  14. can — a tin
  15. scale — in music
  16. cold — an illness
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. content — the amount
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bore — to tire
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fall — the season
  23. fall — to drop
  24. cold — the Cold War

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