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 120 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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. scale — in music
  4. game — wild animals
  5. scale — size or range
  6. ball — a great time
  7. club — for golf
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. club — for dancing
  11. season — of the year
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ball — a dance
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. season — in sport
  18. game — a match
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bore — to drill
  22. club — a group
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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