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 120 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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. staff — a stick
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — in sport
  5. kick — in football
  6. staff — employees
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bore — to tire
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bore — to drill
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. rock — music
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. staff — employees
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rock — a stone
  18. row — to paddle
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. ground — a position
  21. net — after costs
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. ground — crushed

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