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: saw · bore · lash · rash · stem · capital · tube · vault

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bore — to drill
  4. rash — hasty
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bore — to tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. saw — the tool
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. saw — the tool
  13. capital — money
  14. capital — a city
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. stem — to come from
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. rash — a series
  24. bore — gave birth

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