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: press · lash · row · nail · ground · can · content · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. ground — a position
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bore — to drill
  6. press — a publisher
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. can — a tin
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. press — to push
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. content — happy
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. can — to be able to
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — to paddle
  18. ground — crushed
  19. can — a tin
  20. ground — the earth
  21. press — newspapers
  22. row — a line
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. content — the amount

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