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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pitch — completely
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. game — a match
  7. last — finally
  8. last — final
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. game — wild animals
  11. file — a line of people
  12. file — a document
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. hand — help
  15. pop — music
  16. hand — in cards
  17. last — to go on
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. file — a tool
  21. pop — soda
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. pop — to visit
  24. vault — a safe

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