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: bass · drill · bore · leaves · bear · dip · bark · ball

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bore — to drill
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bore — to tire
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a great time
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bass — the fish
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. dip — a sauce

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