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: plane · vault · perch · bore · safe · bass · season · bark

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bore — to drill
  4. vault — a safe
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — of the year
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. plane — a tool
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bass — low music
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bark — to shout
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bore — to tire

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