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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. suit — in cards
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bass — low music
  13. vault — a safe
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. capital — money
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. suit — to fit
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. capital — a city
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. perch — the fish

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