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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mouse · land · vault · content · wind · march · bore · current

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. current — happening now
  5. content — the amount
  6. current — of water
  7. march — the month
  8. land — a country
  9. land — to come down
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. current — electric
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. wind — moving air
  18. land — ground
  19. bore — to drill
  20. content — happy
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bore — to tire
  24. mouse — 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