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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pitch — completely
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. tube — a container
  8. key — in music
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. key — the most important part
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. tube — the underground
  18. vault — a safe
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. straw — a straw man

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