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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. roll — a cake
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bound — certain
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bound — tied together
  11. file — a document
  12. vault — a safe
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. file — a tool
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bore — to drill
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bore — to tire

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