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 124 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. game — wild animals
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. court — of a king
  7. pit — a hole
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. court — for sport
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. game — a match
  15. bore — to tire
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. court — of law
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bat — the animal

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