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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. squash — the sport
  3. object — to protest
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. shower — to wash
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. shower — rain
  11. squash — to crush
  12. key — in music
  13. fork — in a road
  14. key — for a lock
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. key — the most important part
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — an aim
  24. bore — to drill

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