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: lie · bore · safe · file · kid · perch · suit · pitcher

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. file — a document
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. file — a line of people
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lie — to recline
  15. suit — clothes
  16. file — a tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bore — to tire
  23. kid — child
  24. bore — to drill

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