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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. stand — to bear
  6. drill — army training
  7. rush — hurry
  8. roll — a cake
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bore — to tire
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bore — to drill
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. drill — the tool
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. vault — a safe
  19. drill — a practice
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. wax — to grow

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