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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. shower — rain
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bore — to drill
  6. can — a tin
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mate — a partner
  10. shower — to wash
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. mate — to breed
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bore — to tire
  19. game — a match
  20. fine — all right
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fine — high quality
  23. can — a tin
  24. mate — a friend

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