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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. spring — the season
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. spring — a coil
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. can — a tin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pound — a weight
  12. can — a tin
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. spring — of water
  15. can — to be able to
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — a safe

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