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: rush · wake · stand · ground · fork · tube · bore · file

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. ground — the earth
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rush — hurry
  7. file — a tool
  8. stand — to bear
  9. tube — the underground
  10. file — a document
  11. wake — a trail
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. tube — a container
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. fork — in a road
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. ground — a position

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