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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. present — there
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. swing — in golf
  5. present — the time now
  6. bat — the animal
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. last — finally
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. march — music
  14. present — a gift
  15. swing — to play on
  16. firm — decided
  17. pop — soda
  18. march — the month
  19. last — to go on
  20. swing — music
  21. vault — a safe
  22. last — final
  23. march — the month
  24. bat — in an idiom

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