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

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. sharp — clever
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ball — a dance
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. ball — a great time
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bore — to tire
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. row — to paddle
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. row — a line
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a music group
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. band — a ring
  20. bore — to drill
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. toast — bread
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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