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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. mine — for digging
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. chip — to eat
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. chip — for betting
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bat — the animal
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. racket — for tennis

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