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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. clip — to cut
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. chip — to eat
  10. clip — a video
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. drill — the tool
  13. chip — for betting
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — a practice
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bore — to drill
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. clip — for paper
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bore — to tire
  23. tear — to rip
  24. leaves — to go away

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