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: bowl · nail · mark · squash · shower · trunk · vault · bore

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  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. vault — a safe
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the sport
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. bore — to tire
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — to wash
  17. mark — a grade
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. trunk — of a car
  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