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 · deal · temple · bear · cap · tear · current · foot

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. foot — a measure
  6. tear — from crying
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. current — happening now
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — of ice
  12. current — electric
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. current — of water
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bore — to tire
  20. tear — to rip
  21. bear — the animal
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bore — to drill

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