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: content · lie · degree · shower · lean · staff · sharp · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. shower — rain
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. lie — to recline
  7. shower — to wash
  8. staff — a stick
  9. lean — to bend
  10. content — happy
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. degree — an amount
  13. staff — employees
  14. content — the amount
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bore — to tire
  18. lean — thin
  19. sharp — clever
  20. degree — from a university
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. staff — employees
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. degree — temperature

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