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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · bore · ruler · bowl · cold · deal

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rock — music
  6. bore — to tire
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. rock — a stone
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bore — to drill
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cold — not warm
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. cold — an illness
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. ruler — for measuring

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