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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — rain
  4. key — the most important part
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bore — to tire
  7. prune — to trim
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. drill — army training
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. key — in music
  13. drill — the tool
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bore — to drill
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. drill — a practice
  20. prune — to trim
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — letters
  24. prune — the fruit

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