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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. spell — magic
  3. last — final
  4. bound — certain
  5. ball — a dance
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. rock — a stone
  11. spell — a short time
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bound — obliged
  15. last — to go on
  16. charge — in control
  17. rock — music
  18. spell — letters
  19. charge — electricity
  20. last — finally
  21. bore — to drill
  22. charge — a price
  23. plane — a tool
  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