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: bear · chair · lean · craft · ground · ruler · bore · rock

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. lean — to bend
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. ground — crushed
  9. lean — thin
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. craft — a skill
  12. ground — a position
  13. bore — to tire
  14. craft — boats
  15. chair — a leader
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ground — the earth
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bore — gave birth

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