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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mate — to breed
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. season — of the year
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mate — a friend
  15. vault — a safe
  16. mate — a partner
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. roll — a list
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. roll — a cake
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. game — a match

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