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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bore — to tire
  3. track — to keep track
  4. kid — child
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. kid — to tease
  10. vault — a safe
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. track — a song
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bore — to drill
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. track — a path
  23. sharp — clever
  24. ruler — for measuring

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