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: stem · bore · mug · current · content · pit · clip · wound

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. stem — to come from
  3. current — happening now
  4. bore — to drill
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. clip — to cut
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. clip — a video
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pit — in a race
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — happy
  19. mug — a face
  20. clip — for paper
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. pit — a hole

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