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 120 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. key — in music
  3. bore — to tire
  4. can — a tin
  5. deal — to handle
  6. game — wild animals
  7. can — a tin
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. can — to be able to
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bass — low music
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. key — for a lock
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. bass — the fish
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pitch — completely
  22. bore — to drill
  23. key — the most important part
  24. game — a match

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