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 124 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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. foot — a measure
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. board — a committee
  7. bark — to shout
  8. wound — an injury
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. board — to get on
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. plane — a tool
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bore — to tire
  22. wound — an injury
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. foot — the bottom

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