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: mine · pound · cap · bore · present · pit · ruler · net

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. net — after costs
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. pound — a weight
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a hat
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — in sport
  11. present — there
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mine — for digging
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. present — a gift
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — in a race
  22. present — the time now
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pound — to hit hard

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