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: saw · drill · row · temple · staff · craft · spring · bore

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. drill — a practice
  3. spring — the season
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. staff — employees
  6. bore — to drill
  7. drill — army training
  8. row — a line
  9. craft — boats
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. row — to paddle
  14. saw — the tool
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. saw — the tool
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. craft — a skill
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. spring — of water
  24. spring — a coil

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