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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. chest — of your body
  4. present — there
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. chest — of your body
  7. object — an aim
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. object — a thing
  11. sharp — clever
  12. ball — a great time
  13. fork — in a road
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bore — to drill
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bore — to tire
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. object — to protest
  20. present — a gift
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. present — the time now
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bore — gave birth

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