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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. ball — a great time
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bound — tied together
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rash — hasty
  10. cold — an illness
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bore — to tire
  15. key — in music
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. bore — to drill
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cold — not warm
  20. foot — a measure
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rash — a series
  23. bound — certain
  24. foot — part of the body

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