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: file · drill · temple · bass · bore · lash · bear · present

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — to drill
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. present — the time now
  11. bass — low music
  12. present — a gift
  13. drill — army training
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. file — a tool
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. file — a document
  22. drill — a practice
  23. present — there
  24. file — a line of people

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