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: lean · vault · row · bay · rock · bore · pit · wound

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pit — a hole
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bore — to tire
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — a line
  8. rock — a stone
  9. row — to paddle
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. lean — thin
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bore — to drill
  16. vault — a safe
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rock — music
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pit — in a race
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. lean — to bend

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