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 116 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. staff — employees
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. perch — the fish
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bore — to tire
  11. staff — employees
  12. row — to paddle
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bore — to drill
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. row — a line
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. vault — a safe
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. staff — a stick
  24. wave — of the sea

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