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: foot · leaves · pound · bore · fork · tube · toast · sharp

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — clever
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — a weight
  17. toast — bread
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bore — to drill
  24. foot — part of the body

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