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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. court — of a king
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. court — for sport
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bat — the animal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. perch — the fish
  20. toast — bread
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. court — of law

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