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 · pitcher · cue · safe · squash · cap · spring · drill

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bore — to drill
  6. cue — for pool
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. spring — the season
  9. cap — of ice
  10. drill — army training
  11. bore — to tire
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. drill — the tool
  15. cap — a lid
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. drill — a practice
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — of water
  20. cue — a signal
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. squash — the sport
  23. cue — a hint
  24. safe — out of danger

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