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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. present — there
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rush — hurry
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — in music
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. root — the cause
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. ball — a dance
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. key — the most important part
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. present — a gift
  19. bore — to tire
  20. ball — a great time
  21. present — the time now
  22. root — of a plant
  23. sharp — clever
  24. root — of a word

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