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 · roll · current · wind · kid · safe · lean · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wind — moving air
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. kid — child
  6. kid — to tease
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lean — thin
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. roll — a cake
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. current — happening now
  13. wind — moving air
  14. current — electric
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. roll — a list
  17. lean — to bend
  18. current — of water
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bore — to tire
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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