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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bore — to drill
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. row — a line
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. row — to paddle
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. ball — a great time
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. season — in sport
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. season — of the year
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bore — to tire
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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