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: bark · ruler · bore · season · key · jam · bat · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bore — to drill
  3. key — for a lock
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. key — in music
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bark — to shout
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. season — of the year
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. season — in sport
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. key — the most important part
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. face — to confront
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bore — to tire
  23. face — to point toward
  24. season — to add flavour

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