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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. vault — a safe
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. saw — the tool
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. board — a committee
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pop — soda
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rock — a stone
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. board — to get on
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. rock — 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