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

Word bank: wound · fan · saw · ball · safe · bore · bass · jam

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bore — to drill
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. wound — an injury
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bass — low music
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bore — to tire
  18. ball — a dance
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bass — the fish

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