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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. wake — a trail
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. mine — for digging
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fine — high quality
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wound — an injury
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. wound — an injury
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. fine — all right
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. straw — dry grass

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