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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. game — wild animals
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bore — to tire
  9. chest — of your body
  10. game — a match
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bore — to drill
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. chest — of your body

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