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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. march — the month
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bear — the animal
  6. date — the fruit
  7. march — the month
  8. kick — in football
  9. march — music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. mark — a grade
  15. race — a contest
  16. race — the arms race
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. race — humankind
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. date — on the calendar

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