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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pop — music
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. kick — in football
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — soda
  12. prune — to trim
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. vault — a safe
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mine — for digging
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. prune — the fruit

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