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: stick · fall · snap · cue · pound · bore · foot · fine

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pound — a weight
  6. fall — to drop
  7. cue — a hint
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bore — to drill
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. fine — all right
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. fine — high quality
  14. cue — a signal
  15. foot — a measure
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. fall — the season
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to click
  23. cue — for pool
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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