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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. swing — to play on
  3. ball — a great time
  4. swing — music
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. rule — government
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rule — a law
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. vault — a safe
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. swing — in golf
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. ball — a dance
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. prune — to trim
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mark — a grade
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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