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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pop — soda
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pop — to visit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mark — a trace
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mark — a grade
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. prune — to trim
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pop — music
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bowl — a football final

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