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: row · date · mouse · lie · degree · bore · wound · nail

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. degree — temperature
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to drill
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. row — to paddle
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bore — to tire
  12. degree — an amount
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wound — an injury
  19. degree — from a university
  20. row — a line
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. date — the fruit
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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