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: vault · saw · kick · pass · bore · hand · kid · ground

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. saw — the tool
  4. kick — in football
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. kid — to tease
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bore — to drill
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — in cards
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. vault — a safe
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. bore — to tire
  20. ground — a position
  21. kid — child
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. saw — the tool
  24. kick — a thrill

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