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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. swing — in golf
  3. vault — a safe
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. spell — magic
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. swing — music
  12. spell — a short time
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. lean — thin
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. pit — a hole
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. spell — letters

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