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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — to grow
  4. current — electric
  5. pitch — completely
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — a friend
  8. last — to go on
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. ground — the earth
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. vault — a safe
  13. last — final
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. current — happening now
  16. ground — crushed
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. last — finally
  19. ground — a position
  20. current — of water
  21. mate — to breed
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. coach — a trainer

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