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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. roll — a list
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — a practice
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. toast — bread
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. wax — to grow
  20. drill — the tool
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — a law
  23. pound — a weight
  24. vault — a safe

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