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: lie · lash · club · snap · row · bound · bore · drill

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. club — a group
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bound — certain
  6. row — a line
  7. drill — army training
  8. club — for dancing
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. drill — a practice
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lie — to recline
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bound — obliged
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bound — tied together
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bore — to drill
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. club — for golf

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