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: march · pit · craft · content · bowl · rock · bore · current

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. march — the month
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. march — the month
  7. bore — to drill
  8. march — music
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bore — to tire
  11. content — the amount
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. current — happening now
  14. craft — boats
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. pit — in a race
  17. rock — music
  18. content — happy
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rock — a stone
  21. current — of water
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. current — electric

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