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: ground · dip · ball · last · object · bore · wake · perch

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. wake — a trail
  3. object — to protest
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ground — the earth
  8. dip — to sink
  9. ground — a position
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. object — a thing
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. ground — crushed
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bore — to tire
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — final
  20. bore — to drill
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. object — an aim
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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