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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. saw — the tool
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. present — there
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — the time now
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bore — to drill
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. fall — to drop
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bear — the animal
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. saw — the tool
  22. vault — a safe
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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