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 120 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: drill · spring · rule · row · swing · bore · can · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rule — a law
  3. mark — a grade
  4. can — a tin
  5. spring — the season
  6. spring — a coil
  7. swing — music
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. can — to be able to
  12. rule — government
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — army training
  15. spring — of water
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. swing — in golf
  18. can — a tin
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. drill — the tool
  23. row — to paddle
  24. row — a line

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