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: board · bark · rush · saw · bore · spring · toast · kick

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bark — to shout
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bore — to tire
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. spring — a coil
  8. board — to get on
  9. spring — the season
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. saw — the tool
  12. kick — in football
  13. board — a committee
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. spring — of water
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bark — of a tree

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