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 120 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: trunk · pop · fall · content · kick · drill · bore · degree

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — the tool
  4. pop — soda
  5. degree — temperature
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — happy
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — from a university
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. drill — a practice
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bore — to tire
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — the season
  20. pop — music
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bore — to drill
  23. fall — to drop
  24. kick — in football

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