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: deal · pit · clip · spring · mug · present · squash · bore

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. clip — a video
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bore — to drill
  6. clip — for paper
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. deal — to handle
  9. clip — to cut
  10. pit — in a race
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. present — a gift
  14. spring — of water
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bore — to tire
  17. present — there
  18. squash — to crush
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. present — the time now
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. spring — the season
  24. pit — a hole

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