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 120 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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. rest — a break
  3. vault — a safe
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. season — of the year
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rest — what's left
  9. key — the most important part
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. season — in sport
  12. current — electric
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. current — happening now
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. current — of water
  17. key — for a lock
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. ball — a great time
  24. key — in music

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