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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. can — to be able to
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. game — a match
  6. court — of law
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. can — a tin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. vault — a safe
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bore — to drill
  14. game — wild animals
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. spell — letters
  18. can — a tin
  19. bore — to tire
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — a short time
  22. court — for sport
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. court — of a king

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