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 116 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: wave · bore · snap · stick · drill · hand · wake · rock

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. drill — army training
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. hand — help
  5. bore — to tire
  6. wake — a trail
  7. hand — in cards
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rock — a stone
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. snap — to click
  16. bore — to drill
  17. drill — a practice
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. drill — the tool

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