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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. chest — a box
  3. rest — a break
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bore — to drill
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bore — to tire
  11. chest — of your body
  12. rest — what's left
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. row — to paddle
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. chest — of your body
  22. row — a line
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. prune — to trim

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