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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. cue — a signal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. board — a committee
  7. can — to be able to
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. club — for golf
  10. cue — a hint
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rash — a series
  13. club — a group
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. club — for dancing
  17. can — a tin
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. board — to get on
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — hasty
  22. cue — for pool
  23. can — a tin
  24. board — a flat piece

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