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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. court — of law
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. row — to paddle
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. field — for sport
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. roll — a cake
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. court — of a king
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. staff — a stick
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. bore — to tire
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — farmland
  22. row — a line
  23. roll — a list
  24. court — 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