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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bank — of a river
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bank — for money
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bank — for money
  18. racket — a loud noise

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