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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. present — there
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. cue — a signal
  6. present — a gift
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. club — for golf
  9. vault — a safe
  10. shower — rain
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. pop — soda
  13. club — for dancing
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pop — music
  17. pit — a hole
  18. shower — to wash
  19. present — the time now
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. pop — to visit
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. club — a group

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