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 116 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: deal · bore · saw · wave · pass · drill · race · board

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bore — to tire
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. saw — the tool
  6. race — a contest
  7. race — humankind
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bore — to drill
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. drill — army training
  14. saw — the tool
  15. race — the arms race
  16. pass — a permit
  17. deal — to handle
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. board — a committee
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. board — to get on
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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