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 · rock · mate · hide · cue · stand · vault · land

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. stand — to bear
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bore — to tire
  7. rock — music
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rock — a stone
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mate — a partner
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bore — to drill
  14. mate — to breed
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mate — a friend
  17. land — a country
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. vault — a safe
  21. cue — for pool
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — ground
  24. cue — a signal

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