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: plane · bore · snap · mouse · date · last · key · rash

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. date — the fruit
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. last — final
  9. key — the most important part
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bore — to tire
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. rash — hasty
  17. last — finally
  18. rash — a series
  19. snap — to click
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. plane — a tool
  22. key — in music
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. last — to go on

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