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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. mate — a friend
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bass — the fish
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — a hint
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. dip — to sink
  12. cue — for pool
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — rain
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bore — to tire
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bore — to drill
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bass — low music
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. mate — a partner

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