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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. spring — the season
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. shower — rain
  6. spring — of water
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. spring — a coil
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bore — to drill
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — an amount
  21. shower — to wash
  22. degree — from a university
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bore — to tire

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