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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. club — a group
  5. lie — to recline
  6. swing — in golf
  7. vault — a safe
  8. march — the month
  9. swing — music
  10. club — for dancing
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — a trail
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. march — the month
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. club — for golf
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. sharp — clever
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. march — music
  24. toast — bread

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