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: bore · bowl · mate · bear · deal · foot · fork · row

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. row — a line
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bore — to tire
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. foot — a measure
  15. mate — to breed
  16. bore — to drill
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bear — the animal

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