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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. club — for dancing
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. club — for golf
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mate — a partner
  7. club — a group
  8. vault — a safe
  9. scale — size or range
  10. kick — in football
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. chair — a leader
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. suit — in cards
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. suit — to fit
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. scale — in music

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