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: can · pound · ruler · clip · row · bore · present · pitch

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bore — to drill
  6. clip — to cut
  7. present — there
  8. clip — for paper
  9. can — to be able to
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. row — a line
  14. clip — a video
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. can — a tin
  17. present — a gift
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. can — a tin
  21. row — to paddle
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bore — to tire

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