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 116 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. lean — thin
  3. pit — in a race
  4. vault — a safe
  5. lean — to bend
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. cold — an illness
  10. sharp — clever
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — a series
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. cold — not warm
  16. pit — a hole
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. chip — for betting

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