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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. chest — a box
  3. ground — a position
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bore — to drill
  9. kid — child
  10. ground — the earth
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. kid — to tease
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. ground — crushed
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bore — to tire
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rock — music
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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