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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pop — to visit
  4. last — finally
  5. kid — to tease
  6. last — final
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pop — music
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. last — to go on
  12. race — a contest
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. kid — child
  17. pop — soda
  18. race — the arms race
  19. pass — a permit
  20. race — humankind
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — for digging
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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