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: bore · roll · prune · cap · lie · land · ruler · pop

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. bore — to tire
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. land — ground
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. cap — a lid
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cap — of ice
  10. pop — music
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. roll — a cake
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bore — to drill
  15. land — a country
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. roll — a list
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pop — soda
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lie — to recline
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pop — to visit

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