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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  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. sharp — with an edge
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bore — to drill
  6. fall — to drop
  7. sharp — clever
  8. spell — magic
  9. bank — for money
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bore — to tire
  15. fall — the season
  16. spell — letters
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bank — of a river
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. spell — a short time
  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