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: snap · race · land · plane · mug · ruler · bore · row

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. row — to paddle
  5. land — ground
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bore — to drill
  9. mug — to rob
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. plane — a tool
  12. row — a line
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — a contest
  15. mug — a face
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. land — to come down
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to click
  20. race — the arms race
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bore — to tire
  23. land — a country
  24. row — a quarrel

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