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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. firm — steady
  3. vault — a safe
  4. face — to point toward
  5. staff — employees
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — to wash
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. firm — a company
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — to drill
  12. face — part of the head
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. cap — a hat
  15. wax — to grow
  16. firm — decided
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a lid
  23. face — to confront
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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