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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. field — a subject
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. deal — to handle
  8. field — farmland
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. staff — employees
  14. bore — to drill
  15. staff — a stick
  16. snap — to click
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — a division
  20. vault — a safe
  21. staff — employees
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. field — for sport

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