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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. squash — the sport
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a hat
  8. spring — the season
  9. tube — a container
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. cap — a lid
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bound — tied together
  16. squash — to crush
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bound — certain
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bound — obliged
  21. spring — a coil
  22. rush — hurry
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a dance

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