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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bat — the animal
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — to protest
  6. ground — the earth
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. vault — a safe
  9. ground — crushed
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ground — a position
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. wound — an injury
  21. dip — to sink
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. object — an aim
  24. bat — for baseball

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