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: object · bore · last · lash · kid · rock · drill · club

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. drill — the tool
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. last — finally
  6. object — an aim
  7. bore — to drill
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. club — a group
  10. object — to protest
  11. last — to go on
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rock — a stone
  14. drill — a practice
  15. club — for golf
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. last — final
  18. kid — child
  19. rock — music
  20. club — for dancing
  21. object — a thing
  22. bore — to tire
  23. drill — army training
  24. bore — gave birth

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