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: bore · rest · straw · perch · drill · coach · mouse · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. rest — a break
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rest — what's left
  8. drill — a practice
  9. perch — the fish
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. drill — the tool
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bore — to drill
  20. drill — army training
  21. bore — to tire
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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