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: bore · roll · firm · staff · bay · hide · saw · tear

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. staff — employees
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bore — to tire
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. tear — from crying
  10. firm — steady
  11. saw — the tool
  12. firm — a company
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. tear — to rip
  16. staff — employees
  17. firm — decided
  18. roll — a cake
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. roll — a list
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. tear — from crying

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