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 120 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: saw · tear · rock · drill · bore · chip · mate · content

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. chip — to eat
  3. content — the amount
  4. tear — from crying
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bore — to tire
  8. tear — from crying
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. drill — the tool
  12. rock — music
  13. drill — army training
  14. mate — a friend
  15. saw — the tool
  16. content — happy
  17. mate — to breed
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chip — for betting
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. drill — a practice
  22. tear — to rip
  23. bore — to drill
  24. rock — a stone

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