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: rock · pop · content · drill · bore · craft · wave · capital

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. drill — army training
  3. craft — a skill
  4. pop — soda
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. pop — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — music
  12. bore — to drill
  13. drill — the tool
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. capital — money
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. capital — a city
  19. craft — boats
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. content — happy
  24. drill — a practice

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