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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. 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. game — a kind of play
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. game — wild animals
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. charge — a price
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. spring — a coil
  9. game — a match
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. snap — to click
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. spring — of water
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. perch — the fish
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. charge — in control
  22. spring — the season
  23. charge — electricity
  24. 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