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 116 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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. club — for golf
  4. cue — for pool
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. charge — in control
  9. cue — a hint
  10. club — for dancing
  11. spring — a coil
  12. game — a match
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cue — a signal
  15. charge — a price
  16. club — a group
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — the season

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