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: mate · bore · cue · pit · drill · stem · wound · content

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. cue — a signal
  3. drill — a practice
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bore — to drill
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — happy
  13. drill — army training
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. mate — a partner
  17. drill — the tool
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mate — to breed
  21. cue — for pool
  22. stem — to come from
  23. content — the amount
  24. cue — a hint

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