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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — an aim
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. craft — boats
  6. bore — to drill
  7. wound — an injury
  8. court — for sport
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. stand — to bear
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. court — of a king
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. court — of law
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. craft — a skill
  22. chair — a leader
  23. object — to protest
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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