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: bore · present · saw · drill · hand · perch · can · trunk

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. saw — the tool
  7. hand — help
  8. saw — the tool
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bore — to drill
  12. perch — the fish
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bore — to tire
  19. present — a gift
  20. can — to be able to
  21. drill — army training
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. hand — part of the body

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