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 120 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. game — a match
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. stand — to bear
  6. court — of law
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. foot — a measure
  9. court — of a king
  10. bulb — for light
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. court — for sport
  13. track — a path
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — a safe
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. game — wild animals
  18. track — a song
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. game — a kind of play

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