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: season · saw · nail · charge · wound · bore · drill · perch

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. saw — the tool
  3. drill — army training
  4. wound — an injury
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. charge — a price
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. charge — in control
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to drill
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. saw — the tool
  16. drill — the tool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bore — to tire
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. season — in sport
  22. charge — electricity
  23. drill — a practice
  24. season — of the year

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