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: bulb · bore · pop · mate · drill · foot · kick · saw

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pop — to visit
  3. mate — a friend
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bulb — for light
  8. drill — army training
  9. bore — to drill
  10. kick — in football
  11. pop — soda
  12. drill — a practice
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bulb — for light
  18. foot — a measure
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. saw — the tool
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pop — music

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