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: trunk · bat · ruler · game · bore · can · mine · mark

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. can — a tin
  5. mine — for digging
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — a grade
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. can — a tin
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. game — a match
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. game — wild animals
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. game — a kind of play

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