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: kick · bore · jam · rush · stand · bound · bark · lean

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. kick — in football
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. lean — thin
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bound — obliged
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. rush — hurry
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. bound — tied together
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bound — certain
  23. bark — to shout
  24. rush — to hurry

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