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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  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. scale — for weighing
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. scale — in music
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — help
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rule — a law
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. plane — a tool
  15. shower — rain
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rule — government
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. hand — part of the body
  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