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: safe · bore · ball · cap · pound · spring · cabinet · row

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. spring — the season
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — a lid
  6. row — to paddle
  7. pound — a weight
  8. spring — a coil
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bore — to tire
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. spring — of water
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bore — to drill
  19. cap — of ice
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. row — a line
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. row — a quarrel

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