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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pop — music
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. object — an aim
  6. bound — tied together
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bore — to drill
  11. prune — to trim
  12. object — a thing
  13. rash — a series
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bound — certain
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — to visit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. object — to protest
  20. rash — hasty
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bound — obliged

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