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: rock · race · bore · fine · wind · bay · dip · pitch

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bore — to drill
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. race — humankind
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. dip — to sink
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pitch — completely
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rock — a stone
  22. race — a contest
  23. rock — music
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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