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: bore · saw · lash · rash · root · rock · rule · court

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rule — a law
  6. rash — hasty
  7. saw — the tool
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. root — of a word
  13. court — of a king
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rock — a stone
  16. saw — the tool
  17. root — the cause
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. rash — a series
  20. court — for sport
  21. rule — government
  22. rock — music
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. court — of law

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