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

Word bank: mug · bore · fall · rule · rash · present · pound · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bore — to drill
  6. present — there
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pound — a weight
  10. present — a gift
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — a law
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. fall — to drop
  17. present — the time now
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. fall — the season
  21. mug — a face
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rash — a series
  24. bore — to tire

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