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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bore — to drill
  6. key — in music
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. lean — to bend
  14. charge — a price
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. lean — thin
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. wind — moving air
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. charge — in control
  22. shower — rain
  23. charge — electricity
  24. key — the most important part

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