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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. scale — in music
  3. season — in sport
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bulb — for light
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pit — in a race
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. perch — the fish
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bulb — for light

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