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 · bore · scale · fine · spell · firm · tear · mine

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. spell — letters
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. tear — to rip
  8. bore — to drill
  9. scale — size or range
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fine — high quality
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. firm — decided
  15. tear — from crying
  16. fine — all right
  17. firm — a company
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — for digging
  20. spell — magic
  21. scale — in music
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. firm — steady

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