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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. lean — thin
  3. mug — a face
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rest — what's left
  7. drill — army training
  8. degree — an amount
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. degree — from a university
  12. drill — the tool
  13. degree — temperature
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — to rob
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lean — to bend
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bore — to drill
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. rest — a break
  23. vault — a safe
  24. drill — a practice

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