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: hide · foot · roll · pop · rule · bore · pass · dip

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. roll — a list
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pop — to visit
  16. foot — a measure
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — music
  20. dip — to sink
  21. rule — a law
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rule — government

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