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 116 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bore — to tire
  4. track — a song
  5. club — a group
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. tube — a container
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. charge — electricity
  11. club — for golf
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. season — in sport
  14. track — a path
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. track — to keep track
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — in control
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bore — to drill
  21. kick — in football
  22. season — of the year
  23. vault — a safe
  24. club — for dancing

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