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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cue — a hint
  10. stock — shares
  11. cue — for pool
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stock — goods
  15. cap — of ice
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cap — a lid
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bore — to drill
  20. saw — the tool
  21. dip — to sink
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. cue — a signal

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