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: court · nail · drill · pound · mug · straw · deal · bore

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. court — of a king
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. mug — a cup
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bore — to drill
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mug — a face
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. court — of law
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. court — for sport
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. bore — to tire
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. drill — army training

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