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 116 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. suit — to fit
  4. file — a tool
  5. spell — magic
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pound — a weight
  8. suit — in cards
  9. chip — to eat
  10. file — a document
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. vault — a safe
  13. file — a line of people
  14. mine — for digging
  15. spell — letters
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. spell — a short time
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the sport

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