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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. pop — to visit
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. kid — to tease
  14. chair — a leader
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. kid — child
  17. pop — soda
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. charge — in control
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. pop — music
  23. ball — a dance
  24. charge — a price

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