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: hide · bore · leaves · jam · pit · rest · spring · row

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. spring — the season
  3. row — to paddle
  4. rest — what's left
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. rest — what's left
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. spring — a coil
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bore — to drill
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. row — a line
  22. spring — of water
  23. rest — a break
  24. pit — in a race

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