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: present · ground · game · rock · pass · bore · bound · tear

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. present — the time now
  6. bore — to tire
  7. tear — from crying
  8. game — a match
  9. bound — certain
  10. ground — crushed
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. ground — a position
  13. bound — obliged
  14. tear — to rip
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. present — there
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. pass — a permit
  21. present — a gift
  22. rock — a stone
  23. tear — from crying
  24. rock — music

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