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: bore · pitcher · snap · rash · mark · rest · object · file

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. rest — what's left
  4. file — a line of people
  5. object — an aim
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rash — a series
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bore — to tire
  10. object — a thing
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mark — a grade
  13. file — a tool
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rash — hasty
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. object — to protest
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rest — a break
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. file — a document

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