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: rash · scale · present · straw · cue · coach · bore · cabinet

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rash — a series
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rash — hasty
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. scale — in music
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. scale — size or range
  15. present — a gift
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bore — to tire
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. present — there
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. present — the time now
  24. cabinet — ministers

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