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: toast · bore · wind · hide · foot · drill · fine · lean

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. foot — a measure
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. fine — high quality
  7. lean — to bend
  8. wind — moving air
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. drill — a practice
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. drill — army training
  20. wind — moving air
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. toast — bread
  24. drill — the tool

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