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

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. board — to get on
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rest — what's left
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. spring — the season
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rest — what's left
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. rest — a break
  15. band — a music group
  16. vault — a safe
  17. band — a ring
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. board — a committee
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. game — a match
  22. spring — of water
  23. game — wild animals
  24. spring — a coil

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