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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. kid — to tease
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. net — for catching
  10. rock — music
  11. roll — a list
  12. net — after costs
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rock — a stone
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. net — in sport
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. perch — the fish
  19. roll — a cake
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kid — child
  24. toast — bread

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